Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/658/11177
From The Socialist newspaper, 16 February 2011
Worcester: end the cuts and the coalition!
On 12 February, 250 trade unionists and students marched through Worcester city centre in a trades union council protest against massive cuts.
Sean McCauley, Worcester Socialist Party
The demonstration, fronted by a lively samba band, was full of trade union banners and homemade placards denouncing both government and local council spending cuts.
Worcestershire county council is axing £60 million from its budget. 1,000 redundancies are threatened, many of which will come from children's services.
The NHS Worcestershire chief executive has said that £60 million cuts will result in the sacking of doctors and nurses. 200 health service workers have already lost their jobs and 120 beds have been closed at the main hospital in Worcester.
Marchers proceeded to a rally to hear a speaker from NAPO, the probation service union, warn of drastic cuts to supervision of those at high risk of re-offending.
Pete McNally, from rail workers' union Aslef, highlighted that trade unions should lead a serious fightback, starting with a one day public sector general strike.
Matt Wrack, general secretary of the FBU firefighters' union, spoke of the inspiration the students' movement had given to trade unionists.
Matt said that if workers and young people in Egypt could overthrow a repressive dictatorship, then we too could end the increasingly disunited Con-Dem coalition government.
One speaker from the audience brought the solidarity of anti-cuts activists in Gloucester.
Other speakers made comparisons with the struggle that defeated the poll tax and former prime minister Thatcher, as 18 million people defied the law and refused to pay the regressive tax.
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In The Socialist 16 February 2011:
Anti-cuts campaign
Join the fightback against cuts!
Labour councillors' arguments refuted at People's Convention
Hundreds pack into Liverpool meeting against cuts
Private tenants are the poor relations in housing
International socialist news and analysis
Egypt: What next after the overthrow of mubarak?
Egypt - the revolution must go on
Workplace news and analysis
Portsmouth anti-cuts campaign presents an alternative
Rawmarsh teachers' action wins reprieve
UCU members prepare for battle on pensions and pay
Campaigns
Greenwich marches against brutal council cuts
Worcester: end the cuts and the coalition!
Reject 'TINA'- fight for socialism
Action across the country - fighting all council cuts
Marxist analysis: history
Britain 1911-1914: The great unrest - lessons for today
Socialist Students
Tuition fees increase spells misery for students: Build a united fightback!
Socialist Party reviews
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