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From The Socialist newspaper, 12 April 2017
Excellent Socialist Party trade union meeting
Solidarity with Jobstown photo Neil Cafferky (Click to enlarge)
Rob Williams, Socialist Party industrial organiser
An excellent meeting of over 100 Socialist Party trade union members took place in London on 8 April. It was a real show of strength of the presence and impact of the Socialist Party in the unions.
We have 19 members on union executives and candidates standing in current key union elections, including in Unison, PCS and Unite as well as many others who are reps, shop stewards or working in trades councils.
Mood
The meeting took place five-and-a-half weeks after the Tories' new anti-union law, the Trade Union Act, was introduced. A main theme of the day was how the new undemocratic industrial action ballot thresholds would affect workers' capacity to fight.
The consultative ballot on pay by the Royal College of Nurses shows that the massive anger and frustration that exists among workers won't be constrained by these laws. The strike wave developing in Ireland, where the union leaders have been in partnership with the government and the employers, shows how the volatile mood can break through. The anger is building in Britain against the cuts in health and education as well as the continuing pay freeze.
There are already a whole raft of strikes taking place. We've seen important struggles such as the teaching assistants in Derby and Durham and the strikes against driver-only operation being imposed by train companies. An Aslef member reported on the tremendous rejection by the union's drivers of their leadership's brokered deal on Southern Rail for the second time.
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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.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
In The Socialist 12 April 2017:
NHS SOS
Victory! Health workers walk out
Hundreds march to save the NHS in Carlisle
Carlisle NHS privateers leave patients at risk
Save our schools!
School cuts can be beaten with a strategy to win
Cuts leave schools unable to meet basic needs
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Cardiff: Labour right rattled by anti-cuts TUSC
Doncaster: Socialist Steve's growing support
International socialist news and analysis
Attacks ratchet-up Syrian conflict and fuel tensions between powers
France: Groundswell of support for left candidates
Ireland: Bury the water charges
Socialist Party news and analysis
Scrap the Tory 'rape clause' and all benefit attacks
Thousands left with 50p for rent - cap rents, not benefits
47,000 kids exposed to illegal toxic air
Socialist Party workplace news
Solid strike across the rail network against unsafe driver-only operation
PCS election: Vote Democracy Alliance
Car workers strike at BMW in defence of pensions
Derby teaching assistants accept offer to end pay dispute
Arts unions agree joint campaign work
Livingstone, Labour and anti-Semitism
Livingstone, Labour and anti-Semitism
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Excellent Socialist Party trade union meeting
Last quarter's fighting fund target smashed, now make our voice heard in elections
Action against cuts at Solent University
Police officers face misconduct charges over attack on 'freedom ride'
Newham socialists attend 'I, Daniel Blake' film night
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