A second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic is sweeping across the world with countries recording record daily case numbers and the World Health Organisation (WHO) warning that the death toll could be much higher than during the first wave earlier this year. Many countries that had emerged from stringent lockdowns over the summer months have reimposed restrictions for the same reasons they did earlier in the year, namely, to protect already stretched public health systems.

An Taoiseach,

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis in Ireland, retail workers have been among those on the front lines putting themselves at risk  to ensure the population can access essential items like food and medicines. Retail workers in general receive very low pay and often precarious conditions, such as lack of job security and no guaranteed hours. So I must ask: now that we are finally recognised as essential, when are you going to pay us accordingly? You and members of your government have praised frontline workers as heroes, but what action have you taken? We don’t want empty compliments, we want you to take action to protect workers from low pay and unsafe conditions. 

With the government lining up for another round of attacks on the public sector, the trade union movement faces more struggles and strikes. This will be a challenge, but also a major opportunity for those who want to see reinvigorated, democratic and militant trade unions. Here, RISE member and trade union activist Samantha argues that socialists should embark on this difficult journey, taking on the union bureaucracy, building networks of union activists and developing a new political culture in the union movement.

Ecosocialism and the de-growth movement are among the most important currents of the ecological left. Ecosocialists agree that a significant measure of de-growth in production and consumption is necessary in order to avoid ecological collapse. But they have a critical assessment of the de-growth theories because: a) the concept of “de-growth” is insufficient to define an alternative programme; b) it does not make clear if de-growth can be achieved in the framework of capitalism or not; c) it does not distinguish between activities that need to be reduced and those that need to be developed. 

Our entire world relies on technology to function, from buying and selling goods to forms of entertainment. Workers in this sector have an immense amount of power at their fingertips, as without their services much of our society would not be able to function. 

This is the first of a regular column on the science of climate change.

“Don’t you know the climate has changed in the past? Sure, all that’s happening now is natural climate change. We’ve nothing to worry about. “

Fifteen thousand years ago the earth was just coming out its last ice age. Sunlight poured into the Northern Hemisphere and atmospheric greenhouse gases were rapidly increasing. Massive ice sheets that had advanced over North America and Scandinavia during the preceding 100,000 years were receding rapidly, raising global sea level by hundreds of metres.

Karen M. Smith is Assistant Professor at the University College Dublin School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice. Her research interests lie in the area of childhood inequality and the government of childhood/government of child-adult relations. Her recent book, The Government of Childhood: Discourse, Power and Inequality was published by PalgraveMacmillan in 2014.

The Covid-19 lockdown has allowed many of us to have a slower pace in life, giving us a chance to notice the ‘joys of nature’. We’re also gardening more. A lot more. We’ve all seen the social media posts showing lengthy queues outside DIY shops like Woodies and B&Q.