privatisation
Poland’s health care workers’ strike: new challenges and old problems
As a mass health-care strike enters its sixth week, all that may be achieved is the speeding-up of the privatisation process.
The Doctor’s Strike and the Nurses’ Occupation
Belgium: Flights grounded by wildcat strike
Thousands were affected when security guards at Charleroi airport walked out in a row over privatisation
The BBC reported that all flights in and out of Ryanair's Belgian hub at Charleroi airport were grounded on Friday after security staff walked out in a wildcat strike.
A row over the privatisation of public sector security personnel caused the disruption, which began at dawn and spread to Liege airport in the east.
An estimated 8,000 passengers have been affected by the action so far.
1977: The great Northampton General Hospital lie in
A short history of a successful example of creative direct action against healthcare rationing in a British hospital.
30 years ago: Rita Ward and the Great Northampton Hospital ‘lie-in”
We hear a lot these days about the ‘creeping privatisation’ of the NHS. We have a Labour government committed to turning our free National Health Service into just another business along the lines of the American model, which sees poor people refused medical treatment because they can’t afford it.
Argentina: railway station burnt by passengers
Angry passengers attacked and destroyed offices, before burning them down in protest at the atrocious state of the privatised service.
The trouble started when a train broke down 600 metres from Constitucion station, south of Buenos Aires. After 20 minutes a group of passengers (these trains are packed solid with no air conditioning and little ventilation) walked to the station to demand answers. When they did not get any they began to destroy the information offices.
Lebanon: electricity workers threaten strike
Staff at EDL (Lebanese Electricity) have given notice of strike action to begin on May 4.
Staff are demanding that the government honour long-standing promises over wages and contracts. Specifically they are asking for pay rises that were due in 1996, 1997 and 1998. Furthermore they are demanding that all employees be advanced 4 levels on the pay scale. They are calling for a long service bonus for staff.
Ireland: Energy workers plan strikes
Workers at the Electricity Supply Board are currently threatening strike action against potential privatisation.
The main reason for the action is the government-backed plans for the distribution of electricity, selling the network to Eirgrid, a state-owned private limited company, which workers see as a step towards privatisation and a loss of the rights held by state employees.
Town hall 'riot' over cuts in Camden
Workers and residents angry at service and job cuts last night stormed a council meeting in the London Borough of Camden.
Following a demonstration of approximately 200 people against the cutbacks, 100 attempted to enter the "open" council meeting. They were refused entry, being told there was insufficient room in the chamber.
Egypt's wildcat strike wave continues unabated
As reported previously on libcom, tens of thousands of workers in Egypt continue to defy their unions and the government in the nation's state-owned industries to strike and occupy their workplaces.
The often-successful struggles are over wages, jobs and privatisation at a time when prices are rising, government-owned industries are being sold off and jobs are being slashed.
Dan Morrison on sfgate.com reported:
Nurses asked to do unpaid work to avoid "significant job losses"
Health campaigners have condemned an NHS trust for asking its staff to resign, work for no pay or take unpaid leave in order to reduce its multimillion-pound deficit.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, which reported a £16. 7m deficit last year, has sent staff a letter asking them to work unpaid for a day, take six months unpaid leave, take voluntary redundancy or defer taking five days of their holiday until next year to help balance its books.
Private health centres fall flat
Rob Ray interviews a leading health watchdog on the rollout of Independent Sector Treatment Centres, which have faced strong criticism as heralding the start of privatisation for the NHS.
A leading NHS watchdog has attacked the government’s excuses for continuing their flagship Independent Sector Treatment Centre (ISTC) programme, even in the face of criticism from their own health committee.
ISTCs are private-sector providers of operations which are currently being licensed by the government as an alternative to the NHS.
