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From The Socialist newspaper, 10 February 2021
Why I joined the Socialist Party - It's helped me to me feel empowered to push harder and to shout louder
Demanding a 15% pay rise for NHS workers, 8th August 2020, London (Click to enlarge)
Holly Johnston, Sheffield Socialist Party
I've been a nurse in the NHS for 17 years, and have first-hand experience of privatisation, attacks on pay and working conditions, and dangerously underfunded services. As an ex-Labour member, I realised that both the Tories and the Labour Party were playing a role in undermining our NHS.
I became one of the lead campaigners for #NHSPay15 in July 2020. As soon as I'd started to publicise our protest, Alistair Tice (Socialist Party organiser in Yorkshire) got in touch with me. From that point on the Sheffield branch was unwavering in its support, advice, encouragement and mentorship.
The experience and knowledge of Socialist Party members were invaluable to our campaigning. We had many conversations, and as I discovered more about the Socialist Party, I realised that the party aligned to what I had been seeking all along.
Since joining, the party has continued to support the actions, campaigns and events that I have organised. The party has helped me develop politically, and made me feel empowered to push harder and to shout louder in order to grow the campaigns around pay and PPE.
Despite the various lockdowns of 2020, I could see the party recruiting new members from all walks of life. If you are disillusioned with the establishment, if you want to fight for decent jobs and decent services as capitalism attacks our class - then join the Socialist Party!
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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 10 February 2021:
News
Tories admit market failure - we want our NHS back!
Question mark over AstraZeneca's vaccine to protect against new Covid variant
Big Energy piles on the misery
Racism
Black Workers' Charter: A programme to fight racism
Grenfell
Grenfell: Are we any closer to justice?
TUSC
TUSC online conference: Preparing to build a working-class force for the local elections in May
Ex-Labour socialists preparing to stand for TUSC in Devon
Workplace news
Striking British Gas workers fighting to win
PCS: Vote for rank-and-file socialist Broad Left Network candidates
Hackney schools workers to strike
York couriers call on council for protection from "fear of dismissal"
Court workers to ballot in fight for safety
NSSN meeting: Fight together against the Tories and bosses' Covid offensive
International news
Myanmar coup - For a workers-led struggle for democracy and socialism!
Turkey: Bogaziçi university students protest appointment of government loyalist as rector
Campaigns and party news
Why I joined the Socialist Party - a nurse
Why I joined the Socialist Party - a student
London fire victims lobby Tory mayoral candidate
Why you should come to Socialist Students online conference
Readers' opinion
Book that inspired me: God's bits of wood
Starmer ditches Labour movement tradition for cheap trick
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