Tribune – Comment, news and reviews from Britain's democratic left

A new pressure group has been established to help blacklisted construction workers – and to pursue the companies it says are responsible for smearing their names.

Private train operators are set to come under new scrutiny over how they invest in the rail network after MPs criticised the rail franchising system and the profits they make from it.

Council workers went on strike in South Africa this week in the latest chapter of their bitter dispute over public sector pay.

Unions will consult their members on a pay offer for 1.6 million council workers, it was announced this week. Local government bosses last week tabled a pay rise of one per cent, with 1.25 per cent for the lowest paid.

by Keith Richmond Twenty thousand distillery workers and their supporters took to the streets of Kilmarnock at the weekend to protest at Diageo’s decision to put 900 people on the dole. Bosses at the multinational drinks company – which owns brands such as Bailey’s, Gordon’s, Captain Morgan, José Cuervo, Smirnoff, Dom Perignon, Guinness and Red [...]

Opponents of the Lisbon Treaty have stepped up efforts to persuade voters in Ireland to say no – again. The Irish rejected the treaty by 53 per cent to 46 per cent in June last year but the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has announced a second referendum on October 2 in a bid to get the treaty ratified.

Raul Castro has proposed a new agricultural plan for Cuba which would allow small farmers to take on more land in a bid to boost production on the Caribbean island.