Keir Starmer’s Pro-Business Stance Will Make Labour Unelectable
Keir Starmer has rebranded Labour as a pro-business party. This stance has caused it to hemorrhage millions in union funding and alienate working-class voters.
19352 Articles by: William G. Martin
William G. Martin teaches at SUNY-Binghamton and is co-author of After Prisons? Freedom, Decarceration, and Justice Disinvestment (2016) and a founding member of Justice and Unity for the Southern Tier; he covers local justice matters at www.justtalk.blog
How the Ukrainian Working Class Was Born
At the turn of the last century, Ukraine’s labor movement was subject to tsarist domination and divided along linguistic lines. The revolutions of 1917 inspired calls for self-determination and the formation of a common Ukrainian identity.
Meet the Socialist Former Uber Driver Running for New York State Senate
The working-class son of Haitian immigrants, David Alexis cut his teeth organizing fellow Uber drivers. Now he’s running to unseat the “Joe Manchin of New York” and fight for immigrants’ rights, workers’ rights, and a Green New Deal from Albany.
The Starbucks Union Drive in Calgary May Have Failed, but the Larger Battle Is Just Starting
The union drive at a Starbucks in Calgary, Alberta, was defeated by both the anti-union tactics of the company and the province’s ruling party. Successful votes elsewhere, however, indicate the Starbucks unionization wave is only just beginning in Canada.
In Italy, a Mayor Who Stood Up for Refugees Faces 13 Years in Jail
Mimmo Lucano made the southern Italian town of Riace into a model of refugee integration — only to become the target of politically motivated criminal charges. His legal appeal, launched this week, will decide if he has to spend 13 years behind bars.
The Cold War’s Moral Nihilism Is the Last Thing We Should Be Copying Today
US support for dictatorships and death squads during the Cold War was a moral catastrophe. Some liberal pundits would now like us to repeat that bloody track record, all in the name of the loftiest principles.
The British Royals’ Trip to Jamaica Has Backfired
William and Kate’s visit to Jamaica was designed to strengthen the British monarchy’s links to the Caribbean. Instead, it’s drawn significant attention to Britain’s colonial crimes and reinvigorated Jamaicans’ campaigning to make the country a republic.
A Four-Day Workweek Will Benefit Everyone, But Especially Women
Taking into account domestic and caring responsibilities, women work more hours per week than men on average — and their pensions are still far smaller than men’s. That’s not a fair deal. A four-day workweek can help get us on the track to equality.
Windfall Tries to Be Noir But Can’t Quite Pull It Off
At their core, noirs are about sex, sensuality, and seduction. Windfall, Netflix’s new film about the home invasion of a tech billionaire, lacks the intrigue and allure to live up to its genre.
Canadians May Soon Enjoy a Single-Payer Universal Prescription Drug Plan
A deal struck between Canada’s New Democratic Party and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals may pave the road for free prescription drugs for Canadians. But the plan is up against powerful enemies in Big Pharma and insurance.
We Have New Evidence of Saudi Involvement in 9/11, and Barely Anyone Cares
The FBI has quietly revealed further evidence of Saudi government complicity in the September 11 attacks — and nothing’s happened.
The Dada Movement’s Political Turn
Born in Zurich in 1916, Dada is famed for its antiwar, anti-bourgeois, and anti-art antics. But in Berlin after the Bolshevik Revolution, the movement took a sharp political turn, merging anti-fascist propaganda with leftist organizing.
To End the Epidemic of Wage Theft, Australian Universities Must Abolish Piece Rates
The list of Australian universities that have admitted to systematically underpaying casual employees is growing every month. The scale of the problem shows that these aren’t innocent errors — rather, wage theft is built into the core of casual work.
Sacramento Teachers Are Striking for Fair Pay and More Student Support
The Sacramento school district is pleading poverty in the face of demands for more student support and a pay raise to keep up with inflation. Teachers and school workers aren’t buying the district’s excuses — and now they’re on strike to change its priorities.
Madeleine Albright Was a Killer
Madeleine Albright has died at 84. She was a pioneering imperialist who passionately advocated greater use of deadly violence in pursuit of a US-dominated post–Cold War global order — and killed many, many people in the process.
Why Did Putin Decide to Invade Ukraine?
It’s impossible to say for certain what could have stopped Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But it is possible to situate the war in recent historical context and game out its geopolitical and economic consequences, including the effects of heavy sanctions.
Joe Biden Is Privatizing Medicare
The Biden administration is expanding Donald Trump’s Medicare privatization scheme that is forcing hundreds of thousands of seniors onto for-profit health plans.
Wall Street Bonuses Are Out of Control
As workers struggled throughout the pandemic, Wall Street bonuses hit a nearly 15-year high.
To Understand the DC Political Swamp, Look No Further Than Its Consultant Class
Democrats pledge to fight corporate interests while on the campaign trail, yet those interests are deeply embedded in the party’s networks and institutions. The political consulting industry is at the core of this conflict.
Australia’s Conservatives Are Cynically Courting the Far Right — and It’s Starting to Backfire
Just as John Howard pitched to the right to attract One Nation voters, Australia’s Scott Morrison is cravenly trying to win over far-right voters today. The danger is that the tactic will backfire, fracturing the Coalition and encouraging a far-right movement.