One issue dominates all others for the workers' movement now and for the foreseeable future - how to defeat the avalanche of cuts and tax rises that is engulfing us. On 22 January 2011 the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) has called a national anti-cuts conference. This conference has the potential to make a crucial difference to the success of the anti-cuts movement. It will bring together workplace representatives with local anti-cuts campaigns to debate a very simple motion, based on the following proposals which were agreed by the NSSN steering committee.

On 5 February the DUP and Sinn Fein agreed a deal on policing, justice and parades. The deal was announced in triumph as a “historic breakthrough” by Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness sitting along side Gordon Brown and Brian Cowen. Policing and justice will be transferred to local control by 12 April and the issue of contentious parades will be reviewed over the next three weeks by a “working party”. On 9 March an Assembly vote will be required to agree the package.

Water service needs to be taken out of hands of Northern Ireland Water

Bosses from the private sector only interested in making profits, not a quality water service

The We Won’t Pay Campaign has called on the Northern Ireland Executive to intervene and bring the water service fully back into public ownership after a further 300 job losses were announced by the company.