Since Ahmad al-Sharaa came to power in Syria, the Damascus government has been given carte blanche to use maximum force against any threat to its continued rule, writes VIJAY PRASHAD
Why PCS is striking and the need for joint, co-ordinated action
Alongside education workers, lecturers, bus drivers, railway workers and health workers, 133,000 civil servants will be taking strike action on budget day, March 15 in a significant escalation, writes FRAN HEATHCOTE
LOUD AND CLEAR: PCS picket Angela Grant outside the HQ of the Department for Work and Pensions
Keir Starmer’s hiring Tim Allan from Tory-led Strand Partners is another illustration of Labour’s corporate-influence world where party differences matter less than business connections, writes SOLOMON HUGHES
Britain’s proud asylum history, from sheltering the Kindertransport escaping Hitler to Basque children fleeing fascist Spain, required tireless campaigning against persistent opposition — and it’s up to all of us to do our part today, writes SABINA PRICE
The truth will out: we are here to unveil the full scale of the government’s complicity in genocide and to hold it to account for the monstrous bloodshed in Palestine, writes JEREMY CORBYN
As the Alliance of Sahel States and southern African nations advance pan-African goals, the African Union must listen and learn rather than parroting the Western line on these positive developments, writes ROGER McKENZIE
KEITH BENNETT reflects on witnessing the grand parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of China’s Victory Day, which impressively showcased advanced military technology
OUR members have had enough and are raring to join today’s mammoth strike action. When PCS re-balloted eight further areas that came close to beating the threshold last time — which included HMRC — all eight didn’t just beat, but smashed, the threshold the second time around.
In PCS, we have developed a strategy of targeted action, where distinct areas take action, on behalf of everyone — an action that is impactful and cannot be ignored. This is accompanied by all-member action, when we bring out everyone covered by the mandate when it can have the most impact, alongside other unions.
In our biggest dispute in over 20 years over pay, pensions, redundancy terms and job security, tens of thousands of our members have taken action since November. After a huge show of strength on February 1, more areas are making submissions for targeted action every week.
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Civil servants are worried that work they are being asked to undertake may be contributing to potential Israeli war crimes – and PCS will back back any member facing disciplinary action for refusing to work on arms export licences, writes general secretary FRAN HEATHCOTE
Public and Commercial Services union leader FRAN HEATHCOTE warns the Chancellor not to take an axe to the Civil Service – and points to measures that would genuinely improve the public sector
As the government ploughs ahead with £3 billion in welfare cuts, arbitrary office-return mandates, and below-inflation pay rises, women will bear the brunt through deepening poverty and increased caring burdens, argues FRAN HEATHCOTE
There is no stronger economy without the stronger wages that provide extra disposable income, which is why workers – including civil servants – must have their pay boosted in real terms, along with restored union rights and insourcing, says FRAN HEATHCOTE