Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/678/12349
From The Socialist newspaper, 6 July 2011
Solidarity from POA
Alan Guest, Branch Chair of the POA at Send Prison, Woking, took the morning off work to support the pickets on 30 June. He sent a message of support, extracts are below:
"Prison Service staff are mainly made up of uniformed prison officers, however recently the POA learnt that the Ministry of Justice was ignoring a recommendation in the Hutton report that uniformed staff should retire no later than 60. This includes police, firefighters, military and other uniformed roles. But clearly those of us who look after, and keep society safe from the most dangerous people are not considered under this recommendation...
"My latest pension statement says that after 38 year's service I will get a £9,000 annual pension, hardly the gold plated gravy train portrayed by the government and Tory press, which has no doubt whipped up a generation of Daily Mail readers against us. My contract clearly states a retirement age of 60. How this government can say they will just legislate to change that is abysmal. If we breach our employment contracts the consequences are harsh. It's about time they realise that those contracts go both ways.
"Public sector workers must unite to defend our pensions and terms and conditions, local government workers and civil servants do not deserve to pay the price for the mistakes of rich bankers."
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In The Socialist 6 July 2011:
30th June strike and after
Next time - strike together...
24-hour public sector general strike as next step to beat the Con-Dems
Standing up to a weak government
Labour - condemned for condemning strike
Walkout at Wormwood Scrubs prison
30 June pension strike reports
Socialist Party news and analysis
Leaked memo shows government lied over its homeless policies
Dilnot report: A disservice to disabled and older people
Durham Miners' Gala: Miliband pulls out
Stop the racist and divisive EDL
Time to defend abortion rights... again
Socialist Party workplace news
Southampton council workers strike on same day as teachers, lecturers and civil servants
Birmingham - the fightback begins
Leeds Unison members decisively reject the council's final offer
Fawley refinery construction engineers summarily sacked
Fighting pension cuts and the anti-union laws
Successful NSSN meeting in Coventry
International socialist news and analysis
East Belfast riots: Only united working class action can prevent further attacks
Kazakhstan: Striking oil workers attempt to break news blockade
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
All workers: unite to fight for decent jobs
High street job cuts: Jane Norman worker speaks out
Socialist Students meeting prepares for new term
Youth Fight for Jobs: campaign moving forward
Day-Mer festival support for 30 June pensions strike
Socialist Party reviews
Socialist Party
Building the socialist alternative on 30 June
Socialist Party youth meeting: Successful and insightful
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