Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/356/5871
From The Socialist newspaper, 17 July 2004
Strike Against Jobs Carnage
- No to New Labour's civil service jobs massacre.
- Prepare a one-day civil service strike.
- Bring together all public sector unions to organise for a 24-hour public-sector strike in defence of jobs and services.
"CARNAGE!" THIS was the response of Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS, the main civil service union, to Gordon Brown's announcement of 104,000 job losses in the civil service.
Blair's New Labour government is threatening the biggest single attack on public sector jobs since the 1930s.
Civil service workers are shocked, but active trade unionists are preparing to fight back. "After this review, the once 'secure job' has now become insecure," a young civil service worker, Hassan Miah, told the socialist.
"I live every day now with stress and uncertainty. It's tough living in London, with all the inflated expenses, even with an inexpensive lifestyle. I provide for my parents and family, and as a result I have a mortgage and other debts. Not having a job is unthinkable."
Hassan is on the branch executive of PCS in the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), and is determined to fight back. "I won't make it easy for them. I became active in my union last year, and there are thousands like me around the country."
Brown claims he is cutting 'waste' to provide better services. But while health and education are getting more, other services will fall behind.
New Labour ministers are now insultingly referring to civil service workers as 'bureaucrats', though they play an essential role in delivering services to the public. This is a crude attempt to isolate civil service workers from other workers.
This assault on the civil service unions is an attack on all trade unions and workers. If Blair's government defeats the civil servants, they will then attack the jobs, pay, benefits and rights of all other workers.
This is like Thatcher's attack on the miners in 1984. That's why the trade unions must unite in support of civil service workers for a fight-back.
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In The Socialist 17 July 2004:
Brown's Jobs Cull - Unions Must Strike Back
An Attack On The Whole Public Sector
Public spending review: Robbing Penny To Pay Paula
International socialist news
Why Fahrenheit 9/11 Makes Bush Fume
Socialist Party campaigns
Fight Blair's Privatised Academies
Tolpuddle: Fight The Anti-Trade Union Laws
The Socialist Party And The United Left
"Low Pay No Way, Council Workers Here To Stay"
International socialist news and analysis
'Offensief Against Racism' Success
Sri Lankan Socialists' Elections Boost
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