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From The Socialist newspaper, 26 June 2019
Unison conference: Socialist Party members call for anti-cuts fight and build left challenge
Unison union delegates voting, photo Paul Mattsson (Click to enlarge)
Socialist Party members in Unison
2,000 delegates gathered in Liverpool for the Unison annual delegate conference from 16-21 June. Despite the city we were in none of the fighting traditions of Liverpool seemed to rub off on the union's leadership.
Given the onslaught on jobs and services in the public sector it is a scandal that the union conference isn't even allowed to debate setting legal no-cuts budgets, let alone demand Labour councils implement them. However this did not stop the four Socialist Party members speaking in the cuts debate and calling for the union and Labour to do what socialist-led Liverpool's Labour council did in the 1980s.
With a rumour that the unions were due to meet Jeremy Corbyn to discuss Brexit and the call for a second referendum the leadership tried to get an emergency motion on the agenda that included the call for a second referendum.
But for once it was them who fell foul of the standing orders committee and they didn't get away with it. The union position is still to demand a call for a general election and it was clear from the mood of conference that there is no appetite for a Remain position.
General secretary Dave Prentis gave his usual lacklustre performance and only managed to stage a standing ovation by listing all the local strikes that had and were taking place and then calling up the strikers to the platform.
His stunt fooled no one, particularly the 200 delegates who attended the Unison Action fringe meeting determined to build a fighting and democratic union and to prepare a left challenge in the forthcoming general secretary election.
The Socialist Party held a successful fringe meeting at which over £1,700 was raised for the fighting fund and during the course of the week 200 copies of the Socialist were sold.
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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 26 June 2019:
Climate change
How can we build workers' action to support the climate strikes?
Climate change protests reach important stage
Socialist Party news and analysis
No to Boris, no to Hunt: general election now
Universal Credit forces women into prostitution
Charging scandal in Warrington and Halton NHS Trust
Union action can tackle 58% working poverty rate
Unsafe, unaffordable housing scandal
International socialist news and analysis
Ratcheting up of Iran-US tensions
Workplace news and analysis
Coordinate the fightback! Come to the 2019 NSSN conference
Unions and campaigners discuss fight to end education crisis
Striking workers defy the race to the bottom at Glasgow and Aberdeen airports
Bridgend NSSN meeting determined to fight for Ford workers
Unison conference: Socialist Party members call for anti-cuts fight and build left challenge
Salisbury South Western Rail strikers determined
Midlands mental health workers walk out against privatisation
Notts college contract dispute
Colloids workers strike to support sacked rep
Harrogate academy workers strike against cuts
Socialist history
35th anniversary of the Battle of Orgreave
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Angry Barking fire victims demand action from landlords and authorities
Hull trade union festival a great success
Stop the Devon and Somerset fire service cuts
Opinion
Opinion: capitalism's Fukushima showed same recklessness as Stalinism's Chernobyl
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