Socialist Party members have continued to visit picket lines of national and local strikes over the last week, to bring our solidarity and discuss the way forward. Here, members report from some of the hundreds of picket lines they have visited.
Aslef strike lifting spirits
The strike picket on 6 October outside Newcastle Central Station included Aslef workers from all around the area. The friendly mood and atmosphere weren’t at all dampened by the unrelenting rain – the workers eagerly took our strike wave bulletins and TUSC leaflets as they talked to us. In our discussions with the strikers, they reflected on the positive mood of the previous Saturday, when an Enough is Enough protest went along to the picket line at the station. They recognise that their role as strikers is lifting the eyes, consciousness and spirits of other workers.
Sam Morden, South Tyne and Wear Socialist Party
BT strikers welcoming support
Even as the CWU BT Openreach strikers were gathering in South Shields, before they’d set up banners and flags, passing vehicles were tooting their horns in support. Socialist Party members were welcomed to join the picket line and thanked for going along so regularly. One of the strikers commented that when she’d first seen us at one of their earlier pickets she’d never heard of us, so she looked us up online, and was impressed with what she saw.
Elaine Brunskill, Northern region Socialist Party
Further education workers joining the strike wave
Lecturers at South and City College in Birmingham joined the growing strike wave on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October. This was part of a rolling schedule of strikes at colleges across England against below-inflation pay offers from their respective managements.
Socialist Party members heard how University and College Union (UCU) members have been forced to take strike action after twelve years with no annual pay award. Lecturers have had to work second jobs in pubs, raid their savings each month and take mortgage holidays, just to cover the essentials. This is despite the college group, which spans eight sites, increasing its reserves to £13 million in that time! The principal awards himself regular pay increases.
Staff are becoming demoralised and leaving the college, which, following previous union campaigns, at one time offered one of the best further education contracts in the region.
There was strong support from students and passers-by, who, like workers everywhere, recognise the need to fight back against the driving down of living standards all working-class people are experiencing.
Nick Hart, Birmingham Socialist Party
RMT strikers want the Tories out
Members of the Socialist Party in Newcastle visited the pickets lines of the RMT strike on 8 October. The strikers’ mood was good, despite the cold. They were supported by many people, including passing taxi drivers and bus drivers who honked in support.
Talking to the strikers was enlightening. They want the Tories out of government but don’t necessarily support the Labour Party as they believe that they are not a working people’s party anymore. They are right, and this highlights the need for a new working people’s party. It seems to me that strikers are becoming more disenfranchised with the current political system. People are calling for socialist policies without necessarily knowing what socialism is. Now is the time to push!
Kasiah Cole Watson-Blair, Newcastle Socialist Party
