Get ready for 30 November
Strike together, Protest together, Win together
Hugh Caffrey, North West Socialist Party
On Wednesday 30 November (N30), up to three million workers will strike to defend their pension rights against this Con-Dem government of the rich for the rich. Millions are saying enough is enough and N30 will be a vast show of strength by the unions and all those suffering under this wretched government.
Given the misery being meted out through cuts to services, benefits and jobs and rising food and fuel prices, while the bosses’ and the bankers’ incomes pile up, support for the strike is growing. Nearly eight in ten people support the strikes according to a recent poll.
This support must be mobilised on colossal strike-day demonstrations and linked with preparing further action, including further coordinated mass strikes, involving private-sector workers where possible.
We are in the fight of our lives and it seems that everyone is protesting. From the Jarrow marchers to the Occupy movement to the students, the construction electricians, and local campaigns challenging cuts to Sure Start services, and so on. And victories are being chalked up for our side.
Contract cleaners on West Coast mainline trains have won a 10% pay rise through strike action. In recent years the cleaners have increased their pay by 23% through strong trade union organisation.
Striking for one day, following this up with action short of a strike, and preparing a two-day strike forced the bosses at Carlisle Cleaning and Support Services to concede a substantial pay rise to the train cleaners. Immediately, workers will get a 5% pay rise. The rest will be phased in over the next ten months, and includes further improvements in benefits, allowances and working conditions.
350 cleaners humbled a multi-billion pound sweatshop employer. Millions of trade unionists can hammer the nails into the Con-Dems’ political coffin – starting on N30.
For public sector workers defending their pensions, for construction electricians fighting against a 35% pay cut, for numerous local disputes, and for working people generally, the lesson is clearly as transport union RMT general secretary Bob Crow says: “If you organise in a trade union, and are prepared to put up a fight, you can win.”
Full report of the cleaners’ victory: Cleaners win 10% pay rise
Some of the demos organised for N30, for more see
http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/whatson/13098/30-11-2011/30-november-public-sector-strike
Birmingham – 12.30pm, assemble for march and rally at the National Indoor Arena, King Edwards Road, B1 2AA
Bristol – 11am, assemble at College Green, BS1 5TA. March to Castle Park, Castle Street, BS1 3XD
Cardiff – 12 noon, assemble at Cathays Park, CF10 3AT, for march to a rally at 1pm at the SWALEC stadium, Sophia Gardens, CF11 9XR
Hull – 11am, rally at the Queen’s Gardens, Paragon Street, HU1 3NA
Leeds – noon, rally outside the Art Gallery, The Headrow, LS1 5RG
Leicester – 12.30pm, rally at The Athena, Queen Street, LE1 1QD
Liverpool – 11.30am, assemble at Derby Square L2 9XW. March to 1pm rally outside St George’s Hall, St George’s Place, L1 1JJ
London – noon, assemble at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A 3PE. March to the Victoria Embankment, WC2N 6NU, for a rally at 2pm
Manchester – 11am, assemble at Liverpool Road, M3 4JR, and march to a rally at 12.30pm in Whitworth Park, Oxford Road, M15 6ER
Nottingham – 12.30pm, rally at The Albert Hall, North Circus Street, NG1 5AA
Sheffield – 11am, rally at the Peace Gardens, Pinstone Street, S1 2HH
