Wednesday 1st February has been the biggest day of action yet in the growing strike wave over pay, terms and conditions, with five unions taking national action: Education unions NEU and UCU, rail unions Aslef and RMT, and civil servants’ union PCS.
This demonstration of trade union strength is building workers’ confidence and shaking the Tory government, the bosses and the whole capitalist establishment.
It has also been a day with many rallies around the country against the Tories’ new anti-union legislation – protests to defend the right to strike and show solidarity with the strikes.
By lunchtime, it became clear that the turnout was very large in many areas – tens of thousands in London alone; marking a significant step forward in the battle underway. More strike dates in education and rail are planned, and on Monday 6th February a 48-hour nurses’ strike begins, combined with a 24-hour emergency service and ambulance workers’ strike in most areas. The potential clearly exists for mass coordinated action to then be built further – to fight for the pay rises so urgently needed, and to defeat the Tories’ attack on trade union rights. Prepare for a 24-hour general strike!
See the editorial of the Socialist posted on 25 January: 1 February must be a start: Build for wider action on budget day – 15 March
Also see ‘Why we’re Striking’ testimonies in the Socialist:
- Teacher – why we’re striking: ‘the only option to defend education from Tory attacks’
- Train driver – why we’re striking: ‘For pay, security and a green alternative’
- University worker – why we’re striking: ‘Pay, pensions, workload, inequality, casualisation, and more…’
- Civil servant – why we’re striking: ‘Defending services and our pay’
Socialist Party members across the country have been out at picket lines and taking part in the demos. Below are just some of the many pics they have taken and comments made. “Picket lines are everywhere – What a day!” a member in London said.
Kick out the Tories!
Starmer’s New Labour doesn’t speak for us; Fight for a new working-class party!
Stephen reports from Oxford: The NEU booked a hall but twice as many people as expected turned up. Lots of UCU members came along to support.
Bristol Socialist Party members report that up to six thousand people took to the streets on the march and demo and stopped the city centre. Among the demo speakers was NEU executive member and Socialist Party member Sheila Caffrey.
James Ivens spoke with two Labour councillors who were visiting the Thomas Abney school picket line and he invited them to join him to also visit the Stamford Hill library strike picket line – where library workers are striking against the Labour council’s re-organisation of the library service which will drastically cut jobs. James reports there was a “robust exchange of views” with the councillors … and presumably their answer regarding visiting the library strikers was no.
Mick Whale reports from Hull: The picture shows part of our Trades Union Council-organised rally in Hull. It had a fantastic turnout and atmosphere. I received a good response when I spoke of the need for socialism.
Bea reports from the King Edwards school picket in Waltham Abbey: When I arrived, someone shouted “yay, a socialist paper, excellent”. There’s been lots of support from passing cars. Union membership has grown from 25 to 36 since the strike ballot result was announced and I saw someone join on the picket. The school is closed to all but year 11s, with three deputy heads responsible for teaching them all. A brand new rep has been doing a fantastic job organising the members, showing the difference one person can make. The majority of people I spoke to have never been on strike before”.
A striker at the St Mark and St John university picket in Plymouth commented: “There needs to be a change in the funding formula. Our staff need a pay rise but we also need to maintain educational resources. It can’t be right that every year someone studies with us they get thrust into £9,000 more debt”.
Nick Hart heard from a striker on the Four Dwellings school picket line, Birmingham: “Thanks to the staffing crisis, we’ve got no specialist science teachers left here. We’re not just striking for ourselves but to get the funding schools need”.
Iain Dalton reports from Wakefield: At the PCS IOPC picket the rep Joe Hibbert said it is the biggest picket line they’ve ever had.
Also in Wakefield, NEU striker Craig Lawrence reported there are 5 NEU pickets at Outwood City Fields academy and a good level of support from the community.
In Leeds, Paul Thomas visited the Neville Hill train depot and reported “a buoyant mood, 7 Aslef strikers which is 100%. There was disillusionment with Labour, the rep said he left Labour this year. He asked who he should vote for and I suggested TUSC, and pointed out that a RMT member will be standing for TUSC in Wakefield”.
Ryan Aldridge reports from Plymouth: An NEU striker commented that “unfunded pay rises have meant they cut a third of my department to maintain pay. We want a pay rise but it’s also all the other things which the government and media won’t speak about that concern us. They’re going to have to cut back on school trips and all sorts of things which ultimately means the kids suffer”.
Reece reports from the Basingstoke PCS DWP picket: “RMT down here now as well as CWU”.
Paula Mitchell reports the words of a teacher at Frederick Bremer school, Walthamstow: “We have no choice – if we don’t do this, soon no one will want to do this job. 50% of new starters leave!”
Alec Thraves reports: There’s big support at Swansea DVLA with just a trickle of cars going in and literally a handful on buses – with even the coach drivers beeping in support!
Southampton university picket line: Nick Chaffey spoke with a UCU member who explained the cynical outlook of management: “The latest offer includes an 8% increase for the lowest grades. It sounds good for their PR but the truth is that no one is employed on these grades anymore. It’s an offer to nobody!”
John Edwards reports: Homerton pickets at City Academy said that an overwhelming majority of the teachers are in the union and some of the few non-members are out on strike too.
