Southampton

Valentine's day protest

"YOU TAKE the pay cuts!" were the angry chants that greeted councillors as they arrived to set their budget in Southampton on St Valentine's day last week. Hundreds of council workers and campaigners joined together with 300 striking care workers in an impressive show of opposition to council plans to make over £6 million of cuts.

Nick Chaffey

This protest was another important step in the campaign to defeat the council's plans to privatise 800 jobs through the Southampton Strategic Partnership. Campaigners were later celebrating news that the council had retreated on some planned cuts such as the threat to close Cobett Library and to end weekly bin collections.

Other groups are still facing cuts to their services and the work must be stepped up to maintain the campaign and build further pressure on the council.

Save Our Services took part in the protest, arguing for the campaign to demand increased funding from central government to fund the deficit.

Southampton UNISON are now balloting for council-wide strike action to oppose the pay cuts to care workers, budget cuts and privatisation of jobs.

Striking care workers are at the forefront of this campaign. Their fourth day of strike action saw hundreds of strikers out across the city leafleting fellow council workers about their dispute and building for the lobby. Their unity and determination, combined with the public support for their case has rocked the council.

Meetings next week will discuss the next steps in the campaign.

Please send messages of support to Careworkers, UNISON/TGWU, Civic Centre, Southampton. Send messages of protest to council leader Adrian Vinson: [email protected]

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.