Pensions protest in Maude’s constituency


Derek McMillan, Mid Sussex Socialist Party and a WSTA (NUT) member

West Sussex Teachers’ Association (WSTA), with the backing of Unison and other public sector unions, is holding a protest in Horsham, Sussex. The protest in Francis Maude’s constituency is against a cut to all pensions.

Our N30 strike action is portrayed by the millionaire government and the gutter press as teachers looking after ‘gold plated’ pensions. That is a pack of lies.

The government intends to cut all pensions by reneging on a promise to link pensions to average earnings or the rise in the cost of living. Prices will go up and the current plan is that pensioners will receive nothing – zero – to cope with it.

Hilariously, the Labour Party has tried to hijack the protest. We have suggested they hand over Lord Hutton, who proposed the attacks on pensions, alive! Of course we welcome individual Labour supporters coming along to support us. They want workers to support Labour. They would be better occupied getting the Labour Party to support the working class.

The protest will assemble at 10am at the bandstand in Horsham Park and go to the bandstand in the Carfax via Madeira Avenue where Tory Party HQ is. We hope Maude will come into the garden with us for 15 minutes so that we can ask him about this broken promise, the government’s plans for pensions in 2012 and the impact of the changes on education.

See our blog for more information – wsta1.org.uk