Alex Moore, Plymouth Socialist Party
Plymouth Socialist Party annual general meeting opened with messages of support and solidarity from picket lines that we supported in 2024.
One read: “I want to extend deepest gratitude to the Socialist Party for your unwavering support during the recent health care assistants dispute in 2024. Your support was invaluable in helping them achieve the publicity needed to gain a fair resolution, and was appreciated by all.
“It is great to see you continuing the fight to champion the rights and wellbeing of all workers. Thank you once again for standing with us. Solidarity and good luck with your AGM.”
Guests speaking at our meeting from Unite and RMT unions also thanked us for the support and solidarity we had demonstrated on their picket lines.
This has included carers, who have just won a significant sum in backpay owed to them by Plymouth Council, and rail workers who are determined to ensure that their hard-won defence of terms and conditions will be protected when the train operating companies are brought back into public ownership, and contracts are standardised. Standardisation must mean levelling up not down.
Plymouth Socialist Party branch secretary Alex Sampson gave an inspiring report of our work over the last 12 months, which was an eye-opener to our guests and visitors. It was an incredible year, starting with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) demo in Cheltenham, standing a Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) general election candidate, and supporting local strikes, including job centre security guards.
