Build the anti-cuts movement…
Back the PCS’s fight for a national demo in 2010
The PCS NEC has published it’s response to the Comprehensive Spending Review. In it they express their determination that a national demo against cuts be called before Christmas, saying:
PCS prominent on the recent anti-cuts demonstrations, photo Paul Mattsson
“The TUC has now confirmed 26 March 2011 as the date for a national demonstration against the Coalition Government’s agenda of cuts and privatisation.
“PCS had argued strongly for an earlier national demonstration to coincide with the CSR. Despite that not being agreed, PCS members played an active role in the success of local demonstrations on 23 October across the UK, including in Edinburgh, London, Cardiff, Wrexham, Bristol, Leeds, Sheffield, York, Cambridge, Norwich and elsewhere.
“At its special meeting on 26 October, the NEC agreed, given the speed with which the Government’s cuts will impact and the success of the 23 October marches and protests, that a national demonstration should be held this year in late November or early December, in addition to the demo next March.
“We will be discussing this with other unions and will propose at the TUC Public Sector Liaison Group meeting on 8 November that the TUC call such a demonstration.
“A further branch briefing will follow, once the date is agreed for this earlier demonstration.”
The Socialist Party welcomes the PCS’s decision and is confident that such a demonstration will receive widespread support from across the trade union movement.
The National Shop Stewards Network – which lobbied the TUC Congress supporting the PCS’s call for a national demo and then helped initiate the London demonstration and others on 23 October – will have an important role to play in building support for a demonstration.
Nothing will be finalised before the TUC Public Services Liaison Group on 8 November. However, the Socialist Party is confident that the PCS is determined that a national demonstration against cuts and youth unemployment will take place this year. At this stage the calendar means that the most likely date seems to be Saturday 11 December. The Socialist Party appeals to all trade union branches to pass the motion below appealing to their trade union executives and the TUC general council to support the PCS’s call for a demonstration.
MODEL MOTION FOR A NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION IN 2010
(Amend as necessary for your organisation)
This (name of TU body, student union, workplace, campaign) is opposed to every cut in the £81 billion austerity package demanded by this millionaire Con-Dem government.
We will not accept
- a million job cuts
- doubling of student fees
- drastic cuts to welfare benefits
- increasing the pension age to 66 and beyond.
- mass privatisation of services
We believe that these cuts will only be defeated by powerful united action led by the trade unions, and backed up together with campaigns of service users, welfare claimants, students, pensioners and others.
The TUC general council met on the day Osborne announced the slaughter of public services and agreed to call a national demo in March 2011.
This doesn’t show the urgency necessary given the scale and depth of the attacks.
