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International

Denmark’s ‘red-bloc’ maintains majority

Denmark’s most decisive election for many years on November 1 st , triggered by the SocialLiberal’s threat to topple the government with a vote of no confidence, proved nonethelesssuccessful for the left-wing bloc led by the Social Democrats, winning 90 of the parliament’s179 seats. Although the Social Democrats ran its […]

Culture Music

The return of Anderson

Badhands, the musical project from Dublin, were the backing group at the Workman’s Club Cellar on Saturday 10 September for Anderson’s first live show in over four years. It was standing room only for a show with no set breaks as they cranked out tune after tune. You could have […]

Letters

Vaccination

“Covid vaccination: A more radical solution needed,” written by Raymond Ó Dubhghaill on 3 October 2021. I applaud Raymond for this article. I used to describe myself as left/anarchist/animal liberationist/punk. As a vegan I have been interested in the connection of medicine and animal based research for 30 years. As […]

International Socialism

Religious freedom in Cuba: A constitutional right

Innumerable religious organisations, institutions and fraternal associations exist and function in the Republic of Cuba which have structures at the national, provincial and local levels. For their work they group their members, both in an evangelising function as well as a social and ethical one, in defence of peace, solidarity […]

Culture Poetry

War and Peace

A bilingual 31-syllable tanka (5-7-5-7-7 syllables) in Irish and English, in response to a work of street art. Street Poster, Liverpool, by Guy Denning cad atá ar siúlis deacair é a thuiscintcuir in iúl dom écén cuspóir atá againnní thuigim a thuilleadh é what are we doing it is hard […]

Trade Unionism

An opportunity, not a panacea

The recent report by the High-Level Group on Collective Bargaining is an opportunity for the trade union movement, and for workers seeking to collectively organise and unionise. It will absolutely not solve the declining density and power of the movement, but if made use of it may present an additional […]

Housing Ireland Political Economy

Privatising the Northern Ireland Housing Executive
—against evidence, against the working class

A major victory for the civil rights struggle in Northern Ireland was the removal of public housing from sectarian control through the creation of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. The NIHE built up a reputation for building some of the best public housing in western Europe, and developing progressive engagement […]

Trade Unionism

Does militant union pay bargaining increase class-consciousness?

In the July Voice, Nicola Lawlor proposed that “individual unions should concentrate on… strengthening themselves and militantly pursuing big pay claims.” She argues that unions should not be “remov[ed from] pay bargaining [at the workplace] site of struggle and mobilisation.” Localised bargaining is “an instrument… for increasing class-consciousness and militancy […]

Trade Unionism

OPINION: National wage agreements: Another view

National wage agreements with a private-sector aspect may re-emerge, given the current social costs of capitalism (the “cost-of-living crisis”). Within the CPI contributors have put forward hostile assessments of wage agreements—see Jimmy Doran, “Social partnership? No, thanks” (Socialist Voice, July 2020) or “Talk given by Graham Harrington from the Communist […]