Adam Tyas, Coventry Socialist Party
Socialist Party members strengthened our regular Saturday campaign stalls, held every weekend in the city centre, this time campaigning at the local Godiva festival.
In one part of the city centre, our ‘scrap hospital car parking charges’ campaign continued, now with more than 16,000 signatures, demanding an end to the rip-off at Walsgrave Hospital. Anger continues to grow over profiteering private contracts that burden our NHS. More people recognise the need to fight back.
Meanwhile, near the bus station and festival, Socialist Party members campaigned for a universal £15-an-hour minimum wage. This issue affects huge numbers of young people and workers, as we face ever-rising cost of living, alongside years of wage stagnation. While the Labour Party changes leaders, working-class people continue to pay the price for austerity and capitalist crisis.
We had a particularly strong response from young workers and students. Many highlighted the injustice of being paid less simply because they are under 21, despite doing the same work as older colleagues.
Young people are demanding a better future. And Socialist Party members are campaigning alongside them to help build that fight.
We argue that the trade unions must lead a serious, militant fightback, ending their funding and support for the Labour Party, which has repeatedly refused to stand on the side of workers. For example, dropping its promise to scrap lower youth rates for the minimum wage. Instead, the unions should take steps towards building a new mass political voice that fights for workers’ interests, and for a socialist alternative to capitalism.
