11 February 2019

In their first strike in 25 years, Denver, Colorado teachers walk out

By Nancy Hanover, 11 February 2019

The Denver strike highlights the growing determination of educators, nationally and internationally, in the face of a concerted assault on public education.

West Virginia teachers, school staff vote “overwhelmingly” to authorize work action

By our reporters, 11 February 2019

Teachers and other school workers in all 55 West Virginia counties voted last week to call a work action against a reactionary omnibus education bill moving through the legislature.

Oakland students walk out as school board prepares major cuts

By Jonathan Burleigh, 11 February 2019

Thousands of Oakland students voiced their support for teachers and hostility to planned budget cuts and school closures.

Wright State University administration issues call for scabs in bid to intimidate striking faculty

Oakland, California teachers overwhelmingly vote to strike

Acclaimed musician Roger Waters calls on people to demonstrate in Australia to defend Julian Assange

By the Socialist Equality Party (Australia), 11 February 2019

Roger Waters, the iconic voice of Pink Floyd and renowned solo artist, has called for action to free Julian Assange.

John Pilger to speak at March 3 Sydney rally to defend Julian Assange

More on the campaign to free Julian Assange »

Chinese authorities extract forced confessions from student activists

By Navin Dewage, 11 February 2019

The crackdown reflects the fear in the Chinese ruling circles of a political movement of the working class for social and democratic rights that challenges the government itself.

Workers at ExxonMobil in Billings, Montana reject USW-company sellout contract

By Jessica Goldstein, 11 February 2019

The “no” vote by the Billings refinery workers gives expression to wider opposition of rank-and-file oil and petrochemical workers to the contract being pushed by the union.

French “yellow vests” hold 13th protest against social inequality, police brutality

By Anthony Torres, 11 February 2019

After the National Assembly voted a reactionary “anti-hooligan law” allowing police to ban protests without court rulings, a 13th “yellow vest” protest went ahead amid tensions with police.

The CGT’s “national strike”: French unions seek to strangle the “yellow vest” protests

French National Assembly passes police state “anti-riot” law targeting protests

“Yellow vest” assemblies meet in Commercy
The pseudo-left parties seek to intervene in France’s “yellow vest” movement

More on the “yellow vests” protests in France »

Thousands attend right-wing, anti-Catalan protest in Madrid

By Alejandro López, 11 February 2019

Spain’s right-wing parties are targeting its minority social-democratic government, backed by Podemos, that is unpopular for imposing austerity and police state rule.

Bankruptcy judge approves sale of Sears to former CEO Edward Lampert for $5.2 billion

By Jacob Crosse, 11 February 2019

The beleaguered retail chain lives to die another day as remaining workers are left with an uncertain future

Study links abuse-deterrent OxyContin with rise in hepatitis C infections

By Brian Dixon, 11 February 2019

According to a new study published in Health Affairs, Purdue Pharma’s switch to a new abuse-deterrent formulation of OxyContin in 2010 led to a rise in hepatitis C infections as addicts switched to injecting heroin.

Australia: Northern Queensland flood causes widespread destruction

By Hugh Peters, 11 February 2019

Relief payments from the federal government are capped at a minuscule $1,000 per person, well below what is needed to address the widespread damage caused by the flood.

UK rail workers demand reinstatement of conductor sacked for opposing Driver Only Operated trains

By our reporter, 11 February 2019

The SEP and the WSWS warn rail workers that the RMT bureaucracy cannot be trusted to defend the victimised worker, any more than they can to oppose the introduction of Driver Only Operated trains.

New in Spanish

La clase obrera y el socialismo

Andre Damon, 11 febrero 2019

La denuncia al socialismo por parte de Trump en su discurso del “Estado de la Unión” refleja el temor de la clase gobernante hacia el crecimiento de la lucha de clases en Estados Unidos.

Cien años desde la muerte de Franz Mehring

Peter Schwarz, 11 febrero 2019

Mehring fue uno de los principals teóricos de su tiempo. A diferencia de los otros dirigentes socialdemócratas que se desplazaron a la derecha, él se unió a la Liga Espartaquista durante la Primera Guerra Mundial.

Cómo el WRP traicionó al trotskismo:1973-1985
28. Cómo “defendió” Healy a la OLP

Declaración del Comité Internacional de la Cuarta Internacional, 11 febrero

Este es el texto del análisis realizado en el verano de 1986 por el Comité Internacional de la Cuarta Internacional sobre el colapso de su sección británica, el Workers Revolutionary Party.

PT de Brasil elogia a funcionarios imperialistas y militares brasileños involucrados en operación de cambio de régimen en Venezuela

Miguel Andrade, 11 febrero 2019

Mientras finge oposición al cambio de régimen en Venezuela, el PT envía a representantes para encontrarse con líderes de la UE que se encuentran en la vanguardia del asedio del país.

El hecho de que el New York Times admitiera el fracaso de Afganistán provoca una reacción del "imperialismo sobre los derechos humanos"

Bill Van Auken, 11 febrero

El editorial del Times en apoyo al retiro de tropas de Afganistán es una condena autoincriminatoria de toda la “guerra contra el terrorismo”, apoyada por el periódico por la mayor parte de las últimas dos décadas.

New in French

La direction de Corbyn s'incline devant la chasse aux sorcières blairiste de l'antisémitisme

Robert Stevens, 11 février 2019

Les partisans de Tony Blair n’ont pu mener leur campagne de ramassis de mensonges qu’en raison des capitulations constantes de Corbyn et ses amis proches, qui se sont opposés à toute tentative de les expulser au prétexte de maintenir « l’unité du parti ».

La classe ouvrière et le socialisme

André Damon, 11 février 2019

La dénonciation du socialisme par Trump dans son discours sur l’état de l'Union reflète la peur de la classe dirigeante quant à la croissance de la lutte de classe aux Etats-Unis.

Le Parti des travailleurs brésilien fait l'éloge des responsables impérialistes et des militaires brésiliens impliqués dans la tentative de coup d’État au Venezuela

Miguel Andrade, 11 février 2019

Feignant d'être opposé au changement de régime au Venezuela, le PT a envoyé des représentants pour rencontrer les dirigeants européens qui ont été à l'avant-garde du siège du pays.

L'aveu d’un fiasco en Afghanistan par le New York Times provoque une vive réaction de l’«impérialisme des droits de l'homme»

Bill Van Auken, 11 février 2019

L'éditorial du Times soutenant un retrait américain de l'Afghanistan est une autocondamnation accablante de toute la «guerre contre le terrorisme», que le journal a soutenue pendant près de deux décennies.

New in German

Die Arbeiterklasse und der Sozialismus

Andre Damon, 11. Februar 2019

Als Trump in seiner Rede zur Lage der Nation gegen den Sozialismus wetterte, brachte er die Angst der herrschenden Klasse vor dem zunehmenden Klassenkampf in den Vereinigten Staaten zum Ausdruck.

USA: Anzahl der Streikenden auf höchstem Stand seit 32 Jahren

Patrick Martin, 11. Februar 2019

Im vergangenen Jahr war die Zahl der Arbeiter, die an Streiks mit über 1.000 Beteiligten teilnahmen, so hoch wie seit 1986 nicht mehr.

Lehrermangel und Überlastung untergraben das niederländische Bildungssystem

Harm Zonderland, 11. Februar 2019

Eine aktuelle Umfrage beim Lehrpersonal an Grund- und weiterbildenden Schulen sowie den Universitäten legt desaströse Arbeitsbedingungen in den Niederlanden offen.

New in Norwegian

Amerikansk kommandør melder Pentagon beredt til intervensjon og forsvar av ambassaden i Venezuela

Bill Van Auken, 9. februar 2019

SOUTHCOM-sjefen admiral Faller koblet i vitnesbyrd for Senatet på torsdag det venezuelanske kuppet til «stor makt»-konflikten med Kina og Russland.

Canada mobiliserer støtte for det amerikanske kuppet i Venezuela

Keith Jones, 9. februar 2019

Canada er fullt og helt involvert i Washingtons pådriv for å få installert et virulent høyreorientert regime, som vil åpne landet for tøylesløs imperialistisk utbytting.

Etter USAs tilbaketrekning fra INF-traktaten med Russland
Frankrike gjennomfører tørrtrening og simulert atomvåpenangrep

Will Morrow, 9. februar 2019

Operasjonen varte i 11 timer og inkluderte «alle faser» av det som ble referert til som et «nukleært avskrekkingsoppdrag», unntatt detoneringen av et faktisk nukleærstridshode.

Frankrike kaller hjem sin ambassadør til Italia

Alex Lantier, 9. februar 2019

Beslutningen om å tilbakekalle den franske ambassadøren til Italia peker på et akselererende sammenbrudd i relasjonene mellom Europas store imperialistmakter.

New in Russian

Боритесь с увольнениями на автозаводах Ford! Создавайте комитеты действий для объединения рабочих автомобильной промышленности по всей Европе!

Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei и Socialist Equality Party и Parti de l’égalité socialiste, 7 февраля 2019 г.

Рабочий класс не может признать за корпорациями «права» закрывать заводы, уничтожать целые сообщества и разрушать жизни десятков тысяч рабочих.

New in Turkish

Venezuela’dan elinizi çekin!

Bill Van Auken, 7 Şubat 2019

ABD’deki, Avrupa’daki ve Kanada’daki işçiler, Venezuela’daki bu gerici ve yağmacı emperyalist müdahaleye karşı çıkmalı ve mücadelelerini, ortak düşman olan dünya kapitalist sistemine karşı, Venezuela ve Latin Amerika işçilerinin mücadeleleri ile birleştirmeliler.

Sudan’da hükümet karşıtı protestolar devam ediyor

Jean Shaoul, 7 Şubat 2019

Protestolar, 1989’da bir darbeyle iktidara gelmesinden bu yana, Devlet Başkanı Ömer El Beşir yönetimine yönelik en büyük tehdidi oluşturuyor.

New in Portuguese

EUA deixam o tratado INF: mais um passo em direção à guerra nuclear

Andre Damon, 8 Fevereiro 2019

A saída dos EUA do tratado de Forças Nucleares de Alcance Intermediário (INF, na sigla em inglês) marca uma grande escalada dos esforços dos EUA para assegurar sua hegemonia militarmente.

Partido dos Trabalhadores utiliza onda de violência no Ceará para apoiar medidas de repressão e austeridade do fascista Bolsonaro

Miguel Andrade, 8 Fevereiro 2019

Sob o pretexto de combater o crime organizado, tanto Bolsonaro quanto o PT estão procurando aumentar a repressão sobre a oposição social.

Other Languages

Perspective

Oppose the Democrats’ #MeToo witch-hunt against Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax

11 February 2019

Once again, unsubstantiated and dubious sexual allegations are being used in a #MeToo operation driven by a right-wing political agenda.

Earlier Perspectives »

February 9 demonstration against GM plant closings

Autoworkers, supporters demonstrate in Detroit to oppose GM closures and layoffs

By Niles Niemuth, 11 February 2019

Autoworkers and supporters from throughout the Midwest attended a demonstration and meeting Saturday organized by the WSWS Autoworkers Newsletter and the Steering Committee of the Coalition of Rank and File Committees.

“People are tired of not being able to pay their bills while the rich eat filet mignon”
As global jobs massacre continues, workers around the world voice support for fight against plant closures

By our reporter, 9 February 2019

Opposition mounts to GM plant closings

February 9 demonstration against auto plant closures in Detroit
The program and strategy to defend jobs

The reality of capitalism: GM makes $11.8 billion in profits while closing plants, eliminating 14,000 jobs

Featured Commentary

The working class and socialism

By Andre Damon, 9 February 2019

History

One hundred years since the Seattle General Strike

By Kayla Costa, 11 February 2019

One hundred years ago, over 60,000 workers brought the city of Seattle to a standstill in a strike that holds important strategic lessons for today’s struggles.

Eighty-two years since the victory of the Flint sit-down strike

By Jerry White, 11 February 2019

With General Motors threatening to shut five factories in the US and Canada, it is valuable for autoworkers to study the heroic 1936-37 sit down strike against GM’s operations in Flint, Michigan.

Arts Review

Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage detained by ICE agents in “targeted operation”

By Nick Barrickman, 11 February 2019

The 26-year-old Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph is facing “removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts” for overstaying a temporary residency visa that expired in 2006.

Woody Allen sues Amazon for failing to distribute his latest film and other breaches of contract

By David Walsh, 9 February 2019

Cold War: Many unstated assumptions about politics and history
Also, Capernaum and Stan and Ollie…

By Joanne Laurier, 8 February 2019

Fire in my mouth: New York Philharmonic premieres oratorio on the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

The Land of Steady Habits: Postcrash American disillusionment

This week in history: February 11-17

25 years ago: NATO sets bombing ultimatum in Bosnia

This week in 1994, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization began a 10-day countdown to carry out airstrikes against Bosnian Serb forces, demanding they withdraw weapons and artillery from around the city of Sarajevo, capital of the former Yugoslav state of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

More »

50 years ago: Police attack student demonstrations in US and Canada

Police and troops were mobilized this week across North America to attack protests against racism on college campuses.

More »

75 years ago: Stalin orders deportation of Caucasus nationalities

On February 11, 1944, the Politburo of the Soviet Union met to discuss the fate of the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.

More »

 

100 years ago: Ebert chosen as first president of German republic

On February 11, 1919, the National Assembly meeting in Weimar chose right-wing Social Democrat Friedrich Ebert as the first president of the newly formed German republic.

More »

New in Arabic

استراتيجية النضال الطبقي الدولي والنضال السياسي ضد الرجعية الرأسمالية في عام 2019

٢ شباط فبراير ٢٠١٩

في مطلع العام الأخير صرحت اللجنة الدولية للأممية الرابعة :" إن عام 2018 الجديد- وهو عام الذكرى المئوية الثانية لمولد كارل ماركس- سيتسم في المقام الأول بتركيز هائل للتوترات الاجتماعية وبتصاعد النضال الطبقي في أرجاء العالم".

Defend Julian Assange!

IYSSE calls on students in Australia to join the demonstrations in defence of Julian Assange

By the IYSSE (Australia), 9 February 2019

The defence of Assange is at the cutting edge of the fight against growing authoritarianism and an assault on democratic rights around the world.

Rally to demand the Australian government acts to free Julian Assange!
Sydney Martin Place Amphitheatre, March 3! Melbourne State Library, March 10!

By the Socialist Equality Party (Australia), 25 January 2019

Australian workers and youth support March rallies in defence of Julian Assange

Julian Assange issues “urgent” legal challenge against US extradition plans

More on the campaign to free Julian Assange »

Commentary

New York Times admission of Afghanistan fiasco provokes “human rights imperialist” backlash

By Bill Van Auken, 9 February 2019

Hands off Venezuela!

By Bill Van Auken, 5 February 2019

Corbyn leadership bows before Blairite’s anti-Semitism witch-hunt

By Robert Stevens, 9 February 2019

Murdoch newspaper approves chief Nazi lawyer’s legal defence of dictatorship

By Richard Hoffman, 8 February 2019

AfD deputy denounces a Holocaust commemoration in German parliament

By Christoph Vandreier, 7 February 2019

Right-wing Humboldt University Professor Jorg Baberowski threatens students

Dearborn, Michigan mayor suppresses historical article on Henry Ford’s anti-Semitism

By Tom Mackaman, 7 February 2019

US military conducting urban warfare training exercises in Los Angeles

By Dan Conway, 7 February 2019

The Strategy of International Class Struggle and the Political Fight Against Capitalist Reaction in 2019

By James Cogan, Joseph Kishore and David North, 3 January 2019

One hundred years since the murder of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht

By Peter Schwarz, 15 January 2019

Halil Celik, 1961-2018

Halil Celik, a fighter for socialism (1961-2018)

By Peter Schwarz, 1 February 2019

On December 31, 2018, Halil Celik, founder and leader of the group Sosyalist Eşitlik, which supports the International Committee of the Fourth International in Turkey, died of cancer at the age of 57. This obituary presents an overview of his life.

In memory of Halil Celik (1961–2018)

Workers Struggles

Strike action in the US hits a 32-year high

By Patrick Martin, 9 February 2019

Over 7,000 Bangladesh garment workers sacked after wage protests

By Wimal Perera, 8 February 2019

New York City school-bus workers’ union ignores strike vote, accepts sellout deal

By Steve Light, 8 February 2019

Behind Kia’s patronizing Super Bowl ad, auto company makes billions off low wage labor in US South

By Leslie Murtagh, 8 February 2019

Australia: Tigerair pilots locked in dispute over wages and conditions

By John Harris, 8 February 2019

Matamoros Strike

Wave of walkouts in Matamoros, Mexico builds toward general strike

By Alex González, 7 February 2019

As Unifor escalates racist anti-Mexico campaign
Canadian union leader postures as supporter of Matamoros strikers

The US pseudo-left’s conspiracy of silence on the Matamoros workers’ rebellion

70,000 strike at US-Mexico border

Help break the media blackout of the Matamoros strike by sharing this video.

Watch: A Texas Amazon worker's message to Matamoros workers

"Attention striking workers in Matamoros: I want you to know we have heard your here in the United states. We are with you and we support you." Help break the media blackout of the Matamoros strike by sharing this video.

As strike expands in the maquiladoras
Mexican auto parts workers explain how they formed strike committees

By Andrea Lobo, 26 January 2019

More on the Matamoros workers rebellion »

History

One hundred years since the death of Franz Mehring

By Peter Schwarz, 6 February 2019

Obituary

Stanley Hill, who presided over wholesale corruption in NYC unions, dead at 82

By Alan Whyte, 7 February 2019

Socialist Equality Party

Sri Lankan SEP public meetings to launch Tamil edition of The Russian Revolution and the Unfinished Twentieth Century

7 February 2019

IYSSE

Oppose political censorship and fascist threats against the ISO and DSA in Portland!

By the International Youth and Students for Social Equality at PSU, 31 January 2019

Two political meetings on college campuses in Portland were shut down by campus police after provocations from the far-right group Patriot Prayer.

Successful election result for IYSSE at Humboldt University in Berlin

By the IYSSE chapter at Humboldt University, 26 January 2019

Mehring Books

The Russian Revolution and the Unfinished Twentieth Century published in Tamil

1 February 2019

The translation of David North’s book is vital for Tamil-speaking workers, youth and intellectuals on the Indian sub-continent, in Sri Lanka, and exile communities around the world.

ICFI meeting announcement

Indian Trotskyists campaign for Kolkata meeting to mark the 80th anniversary of the Fourth International

By Arun Kumar and Ritwik Mitter, 26 January 2019

Indian university students discuss the rising danger of war and the betrayal by the Stalinist parties of the working class.

Indian Trotskyists in Kolkata to celebrate 80 years of the Fourth International

7 January 2019

The Kolkata meeting will review the essential political lessons of the protracted struggle of the Fourth International and their relevance to the fight for socialist internationalism today.

Security and the Fourth International

New book now available
Agents: The FBI and GPU Infiltration of the Trotskyist Movement

By Mehring Books, 21 January 2019

The WSWS announces the release of a new book, Agents: The FBI and GPU Infiltration of the Trotskyist Movement, by Eric London.

The origins and findings of the Security and the Fourth International investigation

By Eric London, 14 November 2018

Seventy-eight years since the assassination of Leon Trotsky

By Eric London and David North, 21 August 2018

Socialist Equality Party (Germany)

Socialist Equality Party takes legal action against surveillance by German secret service

By the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei, 10 January 2019

Dr. Peer Stolle, the lawyer for the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei, has submitted formal notice in writing to the German Federal Agency for the Protection of the Constitution. The text of the letter is published here.

International Committee of the Fourth International

The 50th anniversary of the founding of the SEP (Sri Lanka)
Victory of the Trotskyists in the 1985–1986 split in the ICFI

By Saman Gunadasa and K. Ratnayake, 29 December 2018

David North addresses New Zealand meeting celebrating 80 years of the Fourth International

By our reporters, 11 December 2018

80th anniversary of the Fourth International celebrated in Melbourne with public lecture

Eighty Years of the Fourth International: The Lessons of History and the Struggle for Socialism Today

By David North, 9 October 2018

On the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Fourth International

Book Review

Rohini Hensman’s Indefensible: The ISO discovers its muse—the CIA

By Alex Lantier, 14 December 2018

Rohini Hensman’s book, issued by the International Socialist Organization’s (ISO) Haymarket Books publishing house, is an endorsement of imperialist war.

Part one | Part two | Part three | Part four