Solidarity today condemns the actions of the Egyptian government in its suppression of a wave of mass strikes by Egyptian workers. Hundreds of workers have been arrested and detained whilst the indiscriminate use of rubber bullets, tear gas and live ammunition has left 2 dead and countless others wounded.

Writing online, one Egyptian activist described the scene in the city of Mahalla;

“Try to imagine what the pictures you see of Palestinian towns under occupation… Mahalla is similar to that now. Soldiers, armored vehicles, firetrucks.. Since last night the clashes ended. But who knows, everything may change in a second.”

Solidarity branches across Scotland will take to the streets this Saturday to highlight International Womens Day and to build support for the 'World Against War' demo the following week.

On Saturday morning at 10.00am three Solidarity members will join Tommy Sheridan on a special edition of his show on International Womens Day.  Leah Ganley, a student activist and campaigner for womens rights, Sinead Daly, Solidarity member in Dundee and Women's Aid worker and Cheryl Gedling, a member of the National Executive of the PSC union at the forefront of equal pay issues, will discuss the history of the day and women's rights a century after the day of action was established.

Listeners outside of Lothians, Borders and Fife can listen online and take part by calling, texting or sending an email. Details at www.talk107.co.uk

The Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC) today condemned the visit to the Scottish Parliament by the Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Ron Prosor.

In a week where over 100 palestinians, including children, have been killed by Israeli miliraty and the siege of Gaza continues to deny Palestinians basic requirements such as power, heat and water, SPSC described the visit as "a stain on the Scottish nation".

In a press statement today they reminded Alex Salmond that the collective punishment being meted out on Palestinians is a clear breach of international law.

Earlier, SPSC had been celebrating a victory when a planned visit to Edinburgh Universirty by Prosor was cancelled due to a planned protest by supporters of the rights of Palestinian people.

Find out more about the campaign at www.scottishpsc.org.uk

Read the full SPSC statement by clicking below

Coastguards in the UK are staging their first ever strike. The coastguards have taken action following years of poor pay awards that sees some members of a highly-skilled and highly-trained work force make only minumum wage. The starting salary in the service is just £12k.  700 members of the PCS union will take part in the 24 hour strike across the UK.

Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said:

"Today's strike, the first in the Coastguard Agency's history, is not a step our members have taken lightly. They feel let down and betrayed by a refusal to pay them the same as other emergency services and by below-inflation pay rises which are cutting their pay in real terms.

Solidarity Co-Convenor Rosemary Byrne called on the party to join the workers on the picket line, she said:

"This is a vital service and the financial package is a disgrace. These workers should be given parity with other emergency services. Solidarity fully supports the strike action and we believe the workers were given no choice, our members will support the PCS members at picket lines across Scotland."

Union members at the housing charity Shelter have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action over sweeping cuts to pay and conditions. These are the most serious attacks by senior management in the history of the organisation and this is why 72% of those balloted, voted "yes" to industrial action. This was on an impressive 65% turnout.

Solidarity condemns the latest police action against the Sheridan family. Police have now spent around a million pounds and over 40,000 police hours on this investigation, yet appear to be acting in a more desperate and vindictive manner with each passing day of this fiasco.

Today, across Scotland, Solidarity members will take to the streets in a day of action in defence of Tommy Sheridan, Rosemary Byrne, Jock Penman, Graeme McIver, Pat Smith, Gail Sheridan and Gus Healy.

Street stalls and petitions are taking place in every city and many towns across the country. We will ask the people of Scotland to join our condemnation of this vendetta being carried out with their money, in their name. We will ask all Lothians and Borders MSPs to table questions in parliament on the allocation on such resources, a first in Scotland following a civil case, and the nature of the police actions.

We call on the Crown Office to instruct Lothian and Borders Police to end this vendetta against Tommy Sheridan, his family, and his political allies.

End the Political Witch-Hunt, Defend the Sheridan 7, Stop the Police Vendetta.

www.defendtommysheridan.org

Solidarity maintains that the ongoing perjury investigation into Tommy Sheridan and others who've been questioned and subsequently charged this week, is part of a political witch-hunt being carried out at the behest of Rupert Murdoch's News International Corporation and a Scottish legal establishment left reeling by Sheridan's victory in his High Court defamation case in the summer of 2006.

The only crime that Tommy Sheridan is guilty of is the crime of speaking truth to power. His is a political reputation built upon an unwavering commitment to speaking out on behalf of the most vulnerable and oppressed in society. He has and continues to speak out against the scourges of low pay, poverty, racism, war and inequality in all its forms - in short, against everything Rupert Murdoch and his vast media empire represents.

www.defendtommysheridan.org  

Why Should We Pay For the Crisis?

2008 began with a declaration of war by Prime Minister Gordon Brown on millions of workers. With inflation running at over 4%, fuel bills skyrocketing, and a deluge of petrol and food price rises Brown is now demanding pay cuts across the public sector.

According to New Labour a 2% wage rise is all workers deserve or the government can afford. Under the guise of “fighting inflation” workers are to take pay cuts. But it won’t wash. We all know that it’s one rule for them and another for the rest of us.