Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/477/2141
From The Socialist newspaper, 8 March 2007
young workers: Fight for your rights!
Come to ISR conference
ISR conference 2006, photo Marc Vallee |
Since the terrible shootings of three young people in south London, ministers have put on their caring faces and are giving advice on how young people can secure a decent future. Education minister, Alan Simpson, is promoting his policy of keeping young people in education until they are 18 years old, saying this will guarantee them better paid jobs.
Sarah Sachs-Eldridge, ISR national treasurer
Do they actually think we believe that they care about our wages, when last week they offered such a derisory pay deal to public-sector workers? HSBC reported profits before tax of $22.1 billion for last year, the highest-ever profits by a British bank, while graduate nurses are working for nothing in the hope of being taken on. And when the average graduate income is only £8,500 after tax, it is hard to buy into the concern expressed by government ministers.
In 2006, around 1.3 million 18-21 year-olds were paid less than £6.50 an hour - two-thirds of all employees in this age group. Blair and Co have maintained the Tories' anti-trade union laws in an attempt to prevent workers from fighting for their rights. We cannot rely on the government, any of the big parties or on the bosses to provide decent jobs. The only way to ensure decent wages and conditions is to organise ourselves to fight for them.
ISR conference 2006, photo Marc Vallee |
The socialist reported on young people on the civil service union (PCS) picket lines in January and on the overwhelming vote to organise young agency workers in Carlisle. ISR's (International Socialist Resistance) 'know your rights at work' campaign is aimed at bringing the ideas of militant trade unionism to more young workers: that a fist is stronger than a finger, that when we are organised we can stop the bosses' attacks and win better pay and conditions.
Come to the ISR and Socialist Students conference on Sunday 18 March. We will have a forum on fighting for rights at work. ISR aims to bring together young workers and trade unionists who want to campaign for our rights and our futures.
Speakers include Tracey Edwards, national organiser of the PCS young members' network, Jody Long, who unionised a low-paid agency workplace, Sarah Mayo, ISR workplace activist and Rob Williams, Swansea Visteon trade union convenor.
- Equal pay for equal work - abolish youth rates.
- For a living wage - boost the minimum wage now!
- For collective agreements - no to wage-cutting individual contracts.
- Secure hours - all temps should have the option to be made permanent after six months.
- No to bullying bosses and discrimination in the workplace.
ISR conference 2006, photo Marc Vallee |
come along to the isr & socialist students conference to have your say!
sunday 18 march, 10am- 5.30pm
Holloway Resource Centre
356 Holloway Road London N7 6PA
DISCUSSION & DEBATE
tickets - £3/£5 send cheques to po box 858, london e11 1yd call 020 8558 7947 for more info
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In The Socialist 8 March 2007:
International Socialist Resistance
Young workers: Fight for your rights!
Socialist Party NHS campaign
NHS: First priority - a national demonstration
No divide and rule - save these hospitals
Socialist Party campaigns
They are all the same - even the Greens!
Lambeth Students and Community unite
Education
Secondary education becoming a lottery
Socialist Party review
What\'s Left? - not Nick Cohen!
International Women's Day
Socialist Party campaigns
Socialist Party congress report (2)
International socialist news and analysis
Egypt: Strikewave shakes regime and state-run unions
Scotland - Solidarity conference
Workplace news and analysis
United action needed to defend Airbus jobs
Council workers ballot for city-wide strike
Uniting the battle against cuts and privatisation
A crucial time for Royal Mail pensions
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