The Socialist 3 March 2010

Fighting for jobs, services and conditions

PCS: All Out to Defend Jobs and Services

Stop council cuts

Invest in jobs, education & Training

Cut the working hours, not the jobs!

Portsmouth students and workers unite to fight cuts

Brighton students say: Save our nursery

EMA inadequacy impacts badly on students

Building action across Europe

Greece - millions take part in general strike

Spain: Thousands join mass demonstrations

The fairytale world of RBS

Nationalise the energy giants

Activists launch socialist challenge

Walsgrave hospital Coventry: Stop the parking charges rip-off

Fast news

Where is the BA cabin crew dispute going?

Smash the bosses' construction blacklist!

Leeds lecturers win concessions - but cuts remain to be fought

Workplace news: In brief

Unison general secretary election: Nominate Roger Bannister

Legal ruling exposes hypocrisy of Unison leadership

FBU general secretary speaks to The Socialist

Women will be at the fore in the fightback!

Global media monster News International condemned

The hounding of Tommy Sheridan

Savage cuts planned at the Beeb

Supporters should own Pompey, not developers

The worldwide thievery of big business

Previous issues, etc

Print this issue




Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/614/8934

Google search the site	Printable version	email to friend

Home | The Socialist 3 March 2010 | Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe | Donate | Bookshop

Stop council cuts

The savage implications of the cuts-cuts-cuts mantra of New Labour, Tories and the LibDems are clear even before the general election. The Institute of Fiscal Studies estimates that local councils are budgeting for cuts of up to 170,000 jobs! No wonder local campaigns are springing up all over the country.

The government has drawn up a ten-point plan to help councils 'protect' frontline services. It is doubtful that even the authors of this plan believe these "radical efficiency reforms" will do anything other than devastate vital services.

Local opposition

But they must not get away with it. Birmingham council plans to shed £75 million from the city's budget threatening 2,000 jobs. There is no doubt that services will seriously deteriorate with fewer staff. But 150 trade unionists and anti-cuts protesters braved ice cold weather and driving snow to demonstrate against this slaughtering of services.

On Wednesday 24 February Kirklees council met to endorse £400 million in budget cuts. Leeds city council is poised to shed 300 jobs, in addition to approximately 1,200 over the past six years.

But as Kirklees council were undermining a community, trade unionists, socialists, and "generally concerned citizens" protested against the cuts under the banner of 'Save Our Services', a grassroots campaign group.

A vigorous campaign of industrial action, backed up with community campaigns, is urgently needed in every area to defend public services.

In this issue

Fighting for jobs, services and conditions