So& Wloirkdersa’ Lirbeirtty y Volume 3 No 201 20 April 2011 30p/80p For a workers’ government AV: what we On the streets The many sides say page 5 of Tunis pages 7-9 of Malcolm X page 12 Royal Wedding: a celebration of privilege and parasitism See UP THE page 5 REPUBLIC! INTERNATIONAL What is the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty? Germany to go non-nuclear Today one class, the working class, lives by selling its labour power to another, the capitalist class, By Dave Elliott In Japan, with the which owns the means of production. Society Fukushima plants still far is shaped by the capitalists’ relentless drive to 250,000 people joined from safe and the exclu - increase their wealth. Capitalism causes demonstrations across sion zone now extended to poverty, unemployment, the blighting of lives by Germany following the 30 km, there have also overwork, imperialism, the destruction of the Fukushima disaster, call - been major anti nuclear environment and much else. ing on the government to demonstrations — on 10 Against the accumulated wealth and power of the phase out nuclear power April, 15,000 people capitalists, the working class has one weapon: solidarity. completely. marched in Tokyo in a demo organised by local The Alliance for Workers’ Liberty aims to build solidarity And after a massive shopkeepers, and 2,500 through struggle so that the working class can overthrow swing to the Greens in the called for the closure of the capitalism. We want socialist revolution: collective ownership regional elections, so far unaffected Hamaoka of industry and services, workers’ control and a democracy Merkel’s battered govern - nuclear plant, which is on much fuller than the present system, with elected ment now seems willing to a earthquake fault line. representatives recallable at any time and an end to comply, with the backing Meanwhile, what’s hap - of a key power industry bureaucrats’ and managers’ privileges. pening in the UK ? The trade association, BDEW, We fight for the labour movement to break with “social government has set up a which has called for a full partnership” and assert working-class interests militantly nuclear safety review, and We need a stronger campaign for renewables phase out by 2020 or 2023 against the bosses. the final phase of the reac - at the latest. Two of the as - Our priority is to work in the workplaces and trade unions, tor “Generic Design As - signs that a policy shift using some of the 112 sociation’s members, nu - supporting workers’ struggles, producing workplace bulletins, sessment” process has may occur — with possi - tonnes of Plutonium clear plant operators E.ON helping organise rank-and-file groups. been delayed until after bly a slow down in the stored at Sellafield. and RWE, opposed the de - We are also active among students and in many campaigns the safety review is com - proposed eight new plant This plutonium came cision, but were outvoted. and alliances. pleted later this year. expansion programme, re - from the reprocessing of Germany currently gets However, initial indica - flecting the extra costs spent fuel from existing 26% of its electricity from tions were that the govern - likely to be involved in try - UK and overseas nuclear We stand for: nuclear and 17% from re - ment was not expecting ing to make the plants, and plant, some of which has G Independent working-class representation in politics. newables, so there will the safety review to result their on-site spent fuel been converted to mixed G A workers’ government, based on and accountable to the have to be a rapid switch in major changes. Secre - stores, acceptable after plutonium and uranium labour movement. over. Current plans are to tary of State Chris Huhne Fukushima. They are all on oxide fuel for use else - G A workers’ charter of trade union rights — to organise, to push renewables up to told the House of Com - the coast, at sea level. where — e.g. in Japan. strike, to picket effectively, and to take solidarity action. 35% by 2020, 50% by 2030, mons on 24 March “we It may also have to re - There was 95 tonnes of G Taxation of the rich to fund decent public services, homes, 65% by 2040, 80% by 2050. will have to wait to see its think the proposal from Mox in Fukushima Reactor education and jobs for all. That may have to be accel - results and base the debate the nuclear industry to ex - 3. They may not exactly be G A workers’ movement that fights all forms of oppression. erated. on the facts”, but, he tend the operating life of in the market for more. Full equality for women and social provision to free women German Environment We don’t need any of added “I do not anticipate the UK’s existing plants — Minister Norbert Röttgen this. A whole fleet of re - from the burden of housework. Free abortion on request. Full that it will lead to enor - many are of similar age to told Der Spiegel : “The cent scenarios have sug - equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Black and white mous changes”. And later those at Fukushima. events in Fukushima gested that the UK, EU workers’ unity against racism. on he was quoted as say - However, in perhaps a marked a turning point for and the world as a G Open borders. ing: “There is no intention poorly timed initiative, the all of us. Now we jointly whole, can get near G Global solidarity against global capital — workers for us to do anything but nuclear lobby is pushing support phasing out nu - 100% of its power from everywhere have more in common with each other than with learn the lessons... for ex - for the UK to spend more clear energy as quickly as renewables by 2050, or their capitalist or Stalinist rulers. ample, about the back up money on a new pro - possible and phasing in re - maybe earlier, if the po - G Democracy at every level of society, from the smallest for cooling.” gramme, for Mixed Oxide newable energies.” litical will is there. workplace or community to global social organisation. But there are also some Fuel (MOX) production, G Working-class solidarity in international politics: equal rights for all nations, against imperialists and predators big and small. G Maximum left unity in action, and openness in debate. South Australian unions demand G If you agree with us, please take some copies of Solidarity to sell — and join us! 020 7394 8923 [email protected] Labor dump right-wing leader 20e Tower Workshops, Riley Road, By Martin Thomas London, SE1 3DG. Unions”, repeated the call tion campaign, became a “left” Maritime Union of for Rann to quit on behalf Labor member of the Leg - Australia, states in his lat - “The reason why the of the state’s whole union islative Assembly and a est leaflet: Labor Party was estab - movement. “All of today’s minister in a Labor gov - “Under my leadership lished was because the shenanigans are really the ernment carrying through the MUA Queensland GET SOLIDARITY unions [knew] we same boofhead politics modified privatisation and branch will not involve it - needed to elect our own we’ve seen for some time quickly becoming as right- self in ALP machinations representatives to parlia - from this government”, wing as Iemma ever was. over the heads of the EVERY WEEK! ment to make the laws she declared. Robertson is now Labor membership. that cared for workers The stance of the South leader in NSW. Special offers “It will use the union’s and their families... Australian unions is a A serious union re - representation in the Aus - G Trial sub, 6 issues £5 model for how Britain’s sponse across Australia “But in South Australia unions should have re - would mean unions debat - tralian Labor Party, both at G 22 issues (six months). £18 waged £9 unwaged today what have we got? sponded to Tony Blair and ing and sticking to a clear state level and nationally, The complete opposite. Gordon Brown in 1997- set of working-class poli - openly to champion work - G 44 issues (year). £35 waged £17 unwaged “Our Party... belongs to 2010. cies; campaigning on that ers’ interests and challenge us and we’re going to take It is the exception in the basis against Rann, and the ALP leaders. What the G European rate: 28 euros (22 issues) or 50 euros (44 issues) it back. The unions formed Australian union move - also against Queensland union says and does in the Labor to legislate for ment; and developments premier Anna Bligh and ALP will be democratically Tick as appropriate above and send your money to: workers... in other states indicate that federal prime minister discussed and decided by 20e Tower Workshops, Riley Road, London, SE1 3DG “We need to reshape union members in South Julia Gillard; and demand - MUA members. Labor with a new leader - Cheques (£) to “AWL”. Australia need to take con - ing ALP accountability to “The MUA will speak ship team...” trol of the anti-Rann cam - the working class. out in the same way that With those words, Or make £ and euro payments at workersliberty.org/sub. paign to ensure it is not But most of the “left” South Australian unions Wayne Hanson, state sec - satisfied with sops. unions have gone quiet, are currently speaking out retary of the AWU, the In New South Wales, the leaving the political initia - for the removal of Mike Name . most conservative of Aus - unions ran a big campaign tive to backroom deals and Rann as unworthy to be a tralia’s big unions, pro - against electricity privati - to right-wing AWU leader Labor representative.