Workers win Wales Austerity Games despite bosses moving the goalposts!


Gareth Bromhall

Following the Youth Fight for Jobs Wales week of action, which received an excellent response in Llanelli, Pontypridd, Swansea – where one mother donated £20, Cardiff and Newport, the Austerity Games were held on Saturday 4 August.

After gathering in Cardiff city centre we marched with placards and chants that received claps and shouts of encouragement. We went through the main shopping street pointing out shops that are involved in slave labour workfare schemes.

We held a rally to a crowd of young people, students, and trade unionists in the shadow of Cardiff’s Olympic rings. Speakers including Steffan Bateman, organiser for YFJ in Cardiff, myself as the newly elected student governor of Pembrokeshire College, representatives from Cardiff Trades Council, Wales Shop Stewards Network, PCS and national YFJ organiser Paul Callanan.

The games got underway with two teams competing. The capitalists had top hats, monocles and cigars. The workers were well organised and passionate.

Events included a spirited game of class tug of war, where the capitalists where outweighed and overthrown by the sheer size of the workers’ team. The football ended in a 6-3 win to the workers despite the capitalists constantly moving the goal posts!

This finished a fantastic week for the organisation in Wales, in which we highlighted the issues facing young people: benefit cuts, EMA cuts, rising tuitions fees, transport costs and ultimately the capitalist system that needs to be replaced.