> >New Worker Online Digest > >Week commencing 1st December, 2000. > >1) Editorial - Burnout. > >2) Lead story - Rail chaos multiplies. > >3) Feature article - London's fire engines to be privatised. > >4) International story - Barak goes for broke. > >5) British news item - Turks hunger protest. > > >1) Editorial > >Burnout. > > A RECENT poll carried out by the TUC reveal that some four million people >in Britain regularly work over five extra hours a week for nothing. >Altogether some �23 billion worth of unpaid overtime is worked every year. > > Not surprisingly the poll also found that over half of those questioned >said they find it difficult to cope with the pressures of work and that >there is a deal link between workplace stress and family problems in the home. > > A further TUC survey of 8,000 safety reps showed stress to be the major >health and safety problem in the workplace. > > Unfortunately, while the TUC has come up with one good proposal -- to >press the government to end the individual opt-out from the 48-hour average >working week -- it's other main idea is to seek solutions through >"partnership at work" schemes. > > TUC general secretary John Monks talks of tackling the "long hours >culture" through "sensible regulation and better management". The TUC >argues that other EU countries do not need a "long hours culture" because >they "work smarter". Smarter working, the TUC thinks, can be achieved here >through worker/management partnerships. > > The issue the TUC should be addressing is the reality of the �23 billion >worth of extra work that is boosting the bosses profits every year. And >that of course is not the full extent of the rip-off since many workers >have also been robbed of time-and-a-half and double-time rates as new >"flexible" work patterns have been introduced. > > Such a bonanza is not going to be given up without a fight. Even if the >cosy "partnership" meetings between workers and managements do lead to >"work smarter" arrangements, the bosses will still want to exploit the >climate of fear they have so carefully built up in many workplaces -- the >long hours will simply become "more productive" long hours. > > The Blairite tendency at the TUC may well imagine that "New" Labour >really has brought about a "New" Britain. Maybe they do now think that >workers and management share the same interests and can therefore resolve >all problems by better communication and dialogue. > > If that is the case they are wrong. The nature of the capitalist system >has not changed. In the real world the lion doesn't lie down with the lamb >-- if the lion feels a bit peckish it eats the lamb. > > Nor does the passing of time make the basic conflicts of capitalist >society go away or lessen. Capital doesn't just exploit labour -- it >survives crises by increasing its exploitation of workers and screwing them >more and more. > > It was this reality that led workers to form trade unions in the first >place. It was the need to address the problems of over-long hours, poor >workplace conditions and low wages that forced workers to seek strength >from unity and to exercise that strength in struggle. > > The present problems need strong trade union action, not weedy >partnerships with the bosses. We need the TUC to put its energy and >resources into promoting trade union membership, to press for proper trade >union negotiation in the workplace, to elevate the principle of collective >bargaining and to restore the confidence of trade union members. > > It may be easy for trade union officials to pass the buck on low pay to >the government, to look to EU directives to address conditions and to urge >workers to negotiate themselves with their partner-boss. But easy won't >win. Only struggle will bring back the full weekend, a proper family life, >leisure time and freedom from stress. > > It is high time we kick back at the "lunch is for wimps" slogan with ideas >that serve our interests rather than those of the boss. After all the >workers who forgo their lunch are the ones most under the thumb and we need >to say so. > > ********************* > >2) Lead story > >Rail chaos multiplies. > >by Daphne Liddle > >CONDITIONS for rail travellers throughout Britain have continued to worsen >this week, with several derailments, injuries, hold-ups and a journey from >London to Nottingham that took nine hours instead of the one hour and 45 >minutes it should have taken. > > On Sunday a Virgin passenger train from London's Euston Station to Glasgow >came off the rails just seven miles outside Glasgow, carrying 400 passengers. > > The train was travelling at only 15 miles an hour and four passengers were >slightly hurt but many were badly frightened. If the train had been going >any faster there would have been many more serious casualties. > > The track at the site of the accident, Mossend South Junction, had not >been under the speed restrictions imposed since the Hatfield rail crash. A >Railtrack spokesperson said: "It was not a site identified as having gauge >corner cracking so it wasn't a site with emergency speed restrictions. > > "The train was travelling at a slow speed through the junction, as trains >normally do at that particular point." > > Since Sunday, a Health and Safety Executive preliminary report has said >this derailment was probably due to rails moving apart as the train moved >over them. > > On Monday 30 passengers on the 1Opm from London to Nottingham, who had >expected to arrive safely before midnight, did not reach their destination >until 7.30am the next day. > > The train set off late because no driver was available. The journey was >then hit by a power failure between Elstow and Bedford where the train was >stuck for nearly four hours. > > There were children among the passengers who became more and more >desperate, wondering if they would ever get to Nottingham. > > The train finally moved as far as Kettering, where the passengers were >asked to get off and make their way to a cold and dirty double-decker bus >which took them finally to their destination. > > During last Wednesday at least two freight trains have been derailed, one >just outside Bristol and one in Northampton. There have been no reported >injuries but the incidents have blocked rails and led to further disruption >of services. > > Commuters into London face a daily nightmare, not knowing whether broken >rails, floods or derailments will hold up their journeys or how long it >will take to get to work. People trying to keep long-awaited medical >appointments in hospitals and clinics the other side of the capital dare >not risk the gamble of a rail journey. > > London traffic normally increases over the Christmas period but the AA >has reported a 10 per cent increase in road traffic throughout Britain and >a much higher than usual surge in the capital. > > The air lines have reported a 30 per cent increase in the number of >passengers travelling city to city within Britain. > > Railtrack and some of the train operators are calling for an end to the >speed restrictions imposed after the Hatfield crash because conditions for >train drivers are now so confusing that in itself increases the chance of >dangerous accidents. > > But Vernon Hince, speaking for the RMT transport union, pointed out that >all the restrictions had been imposed for a reason and until engineers had >corrected each problem, it was not safe to run trains at speed over those >tracks. > > But, according to Sir Alastair Morton who heads the Shadow Strategic >Rail Authority -- a Government watchdog -- the engineers are working as >fast as they can but the number of restrictions remains more or less >constant because "a further half dozen keep on appearing every day". > > He accused railway engineers of not understanding the problem of gauge >corner cracking and failing to stop it pervading the entire rail network. > > He also accused the whole industry of being "spooked" by Hatfield and said >that "our system has a cancer in its innards" - the interface between >Railtrack and its sub-contractors. > > There is only one solution. The whole industry must be reunited and >renationalised. > > ********************** > >3) Feature article > >London's fire engines to be privatised. > >by Caroline Colebrook > >THE LONDON Fire Authority last week decided to privatise London's fleet of >540 fire engines and two boats in an attempt to save money. > > The authority has awarded a �314 million 20-year contract to supply and >service new vehicles and maintain the existing fleet to Lattice, a firm >which operates Britain's gas pipeline network. > > Lattice has set up a new arm, TLG Fire Services, to do the work. > > The deal has been secured under the Private Finance Initiative and has >been welcomed by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. > > The fire authority says the deal was essential as the only way to replace >London's ageing fire fleet. > > Chairperson Valerie Shawcross explained. "Investment in the vehicle fleet >has be come urgent This is the third year in which no new fire engines have >been brought to replace those that have come to the end of their economic >life. > > "The result was that we are using older vehicles with the obvious extra >maintainance costs, downtime and inability to harness advances in >technology to improve firefighting techniques." > > The deal means that TLG will supply 104 new fire engines to the service >over the first five years of the contract and lease the brigade's >maintainance depots at Lambeth, Barking and Ruislip. > > This will involve the privatisation of 90 jobs, mainly mechanics, with new >contracts starting in February. > > TLG is also contracted to a gradual replacement scheme for the entire >fleet, including frontline and training vehicles. > > Modern cutting gear for use in road accidents will be installed in all >vehicles. > > An electronic tracking system to monitor the whereabouts of every vehicle >will also be installed. > > TLG will be responsible for picking up faulty vehicles and delivering them >after repair. "This frees up what amounts to weeks of downtime for fire >personnel," said Ms Shawcross. > > The authority is resorting to the this measure in desperation and through >lack of funds. But in the long-term it will cost tax payers far more. > > Mick Shore of the London Fire Brigade Union told the New Worker: "Of >course we are happy to get some new fire engines - there have been no new >ones for a long time now. > > "But we are very concerned that as a result of Government spending policy, >the only way the fire authority can see to get new engines is to hand it >all over to the private sector. > > "There are 90 jobs to be transferred, none from our union or we would be >balloting for action. They are mainly AEEU mechanics with some GMB and >Unison admin workers. > > "The fire authority is happy because it is getting �43 million from the >Government it would not have got otherwise. But that could have been given >direct to buy new engines. > > "The Government is dictating going down the PFI road because it wants to >get public sector borrowing down in preparation for entry into the European >Single Currency. > > "Lattice is part of British Gas and not a bad employer but this deal is a >worrying precedent. If they do the job well -- and British Gas is used to >running a fleet of emergency vehicles, though not fire engines -- they >could win similar contracts for emergency vehicles around the country. > > "If they do a bad job, it'll be too late." > > It is also likely to lead to cuts in the standards of service and >maintenance. The private company cannot do the job more cheaply than the >authority itself is doing and still make profits. > > Londoners will still be paying through the nose for this deal in 20 years >time while the company continues to make profits. > > The scandal is that, three-and-a-half years into a Labour govenrment, the >fire authority is still so strapped for cash that the authority has to put >the entire London fleet of fire engines in hock in order to get any new >ones at all. > > ************************* > >4) International story > >Barak goes for broke. > >by Our Middle East Affairs correspondent > >ISRAELI PREMIER Ehud Barak has bowed to opposition demands for a snap >election two years ahead of schedule vowing to lead his Labour bloc to >victory when the time comes. "I have won every election I have participated >in. I am ready for new elections," he told the Knesset, Israel's parliament >on Tuesday evening, following the failure of his latest bid to form a >Government of national unity. > > But nothing is never quite the way it seems in Tel Aviv's hothouse >politics. The elections will not take place for another six months and the >extremist Likud opposition leader, General Arik Sharon, may not be too keen >to hurry the agenda. > > Sharon, whose provocative actions sparked off the current Palestinian >uprising in the first place, knows that former Likud leader Benyamin >Netanyahu, is planning a come-back at his expense. Sharon needs time to >fend off the challenge so now he's thinking again about Barak's offer of a >"national unity" coalition to see out the crisis. > > Barak needs time, though he's got six months, to get a ceasefire with the >Palestinians so that he call once again mobilise the peace movement behind >his platform. Both leaders want to wait until the new President of the >United Slates is in the saddle -- whoever that will be -- before doing >anything precipitate. > > Barak's decision was met with indifference by the Palestinian masses. >Fighting rages throughout the occupied territories and along the Lebanese >frontier and few -- if any -- Arabs believe that Barak is a man of peace. > > Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said that it was not >important for the Palestinians which Israeli government remained in power. >What mattered was that Israel's policy should change. > > This was echoed by Palestinian negotiator Saab Erakat on Voice of >Palestine radio. "It seems that Israeli politicians who inflict harm, kill >and threaten to use the military machine against the Palestinian people >will get more votes," he declared. > > But it seems that Barak is trying to cut some sort of deal with >Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to end the fighting so that he can >concentrate on getting returned to office in Tel Aviv. > > Barak's putting out feelers to the Palestinian leadership suggesting that >his government may now be interested in yet another "interim" agreement, >putting the thorny question of Jerusalem and the Zionist settlers on the >backburner for another day. It will only work if Israel makes real concrete >"interim" concessions to the Arabs. > > On the international front the Palestinians are winning diplomatic backing >for their call for international observers to stop the violence. Last week >Russian leader Vladimir Putin met Yasser Arafat in Moscow and put forward a >three-point plan to resolve the crisis. > > The first is the despatch of international observers to monitor a >cease-fire. The second stage would be the withdrawal of Israeli forces >frotn Palestinian territory and an end to the economic blockade and the >third would be serious talks to try and reach a final settlement. > > People's China is also calling for a new breakthrough in the "peace >process". This was made clear in a keynote speech given al a reception to >mark the Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in Beijing on >Wednesday. > > Chen Yongchang, vice-president of the Chinese People's Association for >Friendship with Foreign Countries said the Chinese people were "gravely >concerned" about the clashes between Israel and Palestine since September >and they deeply mourned the civilian casualties caused by Israel's use of >violence. > > The bloody clashes have seriously hindered the Middle East peace process >and caused turbulence in the region, a result that "neither China nor the >international community is willing to see". > > From the very beginning, the Chinese government has called on the two >sides to "take effective measures to prevent the situation from >deteriorating," Chen said. > > For the just cause of the Palestinian people, the road is tortuous, but >the prospects are bright, he said, adding that the Palestinians will will >the final victory and achieve national self-determination with the support >of the peace-loving people of the world. > > ********************* > >5) British news item > >Turks hunger protest. > >BY THE gates of Finsbury Park, just opposite Manor House tube station in >north London, a small group of young Turks is camped. They are taking part >in a protest hunger strike involving prisoners in Turkey and Turkish >prisoners in various jails throughout Europe. > > The protest, organised by the Committee for Struggle Against Torture >Through Isolation, concerns moves by the Turkish government to build new >prisons that put the inmates into solitary cells rather than in the >dormitories that have been traditional there. > > The comrades at Finsbury Park told the New Worker why they feel so >strongly. For a start, many of the inmates are political prisoners who >should not be in jail in the first place. > > But most of all, the Turkish authorities have often launched attacks on >prisoners. Many have been killed and there have been some massacres. > > They fear that in the new F-type prisons, they will be isolated and it >will be all too easy for prisoners to be attacked, beaten up and murdered >without anyone outside being any the wiser. > > In isolation cells they cannot offer each other solidarity and support >which is traditional in their society. Solitary confinement is in itself a >form of torture. > > They have chosen this form of protest after the example of the hunger >strike of Bobby Sands and his comrades against the British state's refusal >to allow political status to Irish Republican prisoners -- and the impact >that hunger strike made around the world. > > Last Tuesday the committee wrote: "Today, 28 November, is the 40th day of >the Death Fast resistance by the political prisoners of Turkey. > > "We call upon those who are concerned about the rights of political >prisoners to show support at this critical time. > > "Across Europe the supporters of the Death Fast resistance are now >entering the 30th day of their solidarity hunger strike. > > "Also the supporters of the revolutionary struggle in Turkey who find >themselves in the prisons of Europe are completing their 21st day of hunger >strike. > > "The prisoners' main demand is that they shall not be forced to enter >isolation cells is a concern that all progressive and democratic human >beings should share. > > "The policy of oppression against political prisoners in Turkey manifests >itself with massacres and tortures. > > "In a land where people go hungry, the regime is spending millions on >building isolation cells. They aim to make political prisoners surrender >their beliefs and to turn prisons into torture centres." > > They are asking for protest messages to be sent to the Turkish government: >the Prime Minister's Office, phone 0090 312 417 0476; fax 0090 312 434 >2110; the Justice Minister, fax 0090 312 414 6257 and the Interior Minister >0090 312 425 4080. > > Solidarity messages can also be sent by phone to 0044 207 254 1266, fax >0044 207 923 2095. > > ********************* > > >New Communist Party of Britain Homepage > >http://www.newcommunistparty.org.uk > >A news service for the Working Class! > >Workers of all countries Unite! > > > > > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. 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