World | World Workfare Newswire Archive

Report of Radical Independence Campaign Conference

Here is a report with 20 photos of the RIC conference in Dundee last weekend. As we approach the May 7th UK election, events in Scotland may influence what happens in Westminster. How will issues like austerity, Trident and overseas wars be affected?

UG#696 - The Morality Play of Austerity (Bailing out The Shipwrecked Plutocracy)

Three looks at the Financial 'Crisis':- First, Professor Mark Blyth, author of "Austerity: The History of a Dangerous Idea" looks at the promotion of austerity as a financially necessary measure, uncorrelated to bailouts. Next Les Leopold, another new speaker on the show, author of "How To Make A Million Dollars an Hour - Why Hedge Funds Get Away With Siphoning Off America's Wealth", describes financial chicanery of dubious legality and even less morality. We conclude with a stirring speech by regular speaker, Chris Hedges, who sets the austerity in the context of a dying empire, and assets that the only consistent position for those of conscience is outright rebellion against "the dehumanizing ideology of totalitarianism capitalism".

Whatever happened to the unemployed organising themselves?

Whatever happened to self- organisation within the unemployed sections of our class? Surely they must have some hours left in the week after being forced on courses, or in to doing voluntary work for nothing.

May Day march and rally in Edinburgh

A report of the Saturday 3rd May Day event in Edinburgh with a collation of other May Day reports.

It’s Official: UK Government’s Workfare Programme is Illegal Forced Labour

The UK Government’s controversial Back to Work programme, deemed workfare by critics, received a bloody nose this week as all but one of the WorkFare schemes were found to compel a person’s labour and deemed illegal by the Court of Appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice. Though not an ultimate victory, this ruling sends a clear signal to the UK government that the public might not be willing to surrender their social contract without a fight after all.